Light Carries On
by MoonChild913
Summary: After the death of his parents and older sister, the now King Nils must hold a selection while learning how to rule a country. SYOC CLOSED
1. Spirits

Chapter 1: Sprits

"_Sigrid! Sigrid, where are you?"_

_The boy, small and scrawny, was running through the gardens. Dirt covered his bare feet and his knees were grass stained. He knew his mama would not be happy, but finding Sigrid was the only thing on his mind._

_He came to an abrupt halt as he rounded a corner and found another boy, about four years his senior, kicking a soccer ball._

_The younger boy called out to the older boy, his older brother "Ian! Where is Sigrid?"_

"_Hey, Nils. I-" Ian was about to answer that he didn't know where there sister was when he was cut off by a scream from Nils. A small, blonde girl had jumped out of one of the hydrangea bushes and tackled him to the ground._

"_Sigrid!"_

_The girl jumped up and ran off towards the palace with Nils right behind her, laughing and smiling all the way._

...o0o...

_The quiet sound of footsteps echoed through the dark hallway as Nils made his way towards his sister's room. It had been a whole week since the twins had moved into separate rooms, but he was still not at all used to sleeping without his sister close by. _

_Nils had managed to stay in his own room for the past several nights, something that had earned him more than his fair share of praise from their parents. However, tonight was worse than most nights. Tonight, a storm raged outside the palace walls. Rain poured down, and wind rattled all the windows. A shiver ran down his spine as another bolt of lightning struck. He could not remember a night with this much lighting in a long time._

_Finally, after what felt like a hundred miles and over an eternity, Nils arrived at the tall oak door. His small hands grasped the cold metal handel and pushed the heavy door open, shedding the slightest bit of light into the pitch black room. A few timid steps into the room, he fixed his eyes on the seemingly ginormous bed where Sigrid lie sleeping._

"_Sigrid?" he whispered, so quietly that even he could barely hear the small sound._

"_Sigrid," he whispered again, silently willing his sister to wake up. Nothing happened, so he looked over at the maid sleeping on the couch and took a few more steps towards the bed._

"_Sigrid."_

_Again, no response. He took a deep breath and took the final steps to the side of her bed. Reaching up a tiny shaking hand, he gently touched her shoulder._

"_Sigrid!" Finally, to Nils's great relief, Sigrid sat up, rubbing her eyes, and looked down at her brother. _

"_Nils?" Sigrid asked groggily, "What are you doing here? It's the middle of the night."_

"_I-I couldn't sleep," Nils whispered, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed._

_A deep roll of thunder shook the bed and a lightning strike lit up the bedroom. A knowing look spread across Sigrid's face. She knew her brother had never liked storms. Quickly and quietly, so as not to wake her maid, Sigrid pulled back her blankets and helped her twin climb into her bed. Nils pulled up the covers and snuggled in next to his sister._

"_Jag älskar dig."_I love you _The whisper was barely audible, but he understood. A small smile danced on his lips , and he began to slowly drift off in his sister's arms._

"_Jag älskar dig __också__." _I love you too

...o0o...

_Nils didn't turn around when he heard the quiet click of the door to his balcony closing behind Sigrid._

"_You know, there is this thing called knocking…" He still did not turn around, only smiled to himself._

"_Håll käften." _Shut up _Sigrid replied. _

_Nils didn't respond to this, keeping his eyes fixed on the horizon. He waited patiently for his sister to join him by the railing before resting his head on her shoulder and letting out a quiet sigh._

"_Don't go," he whispered, finally breaking the silence of the cold night. It was his favorite kind of night, cold and perfectly clear. He loved nights like this because they were perfect for stargazing. There was something about those cold nights that made it a thousand times better. Tonight, his mind was elsewhere._

_Sigrid put her arm around her brother, pulling him closer. "I don't want to, but you know I have to." She was leaving for her first real diplomatic mission early the next day the next day, and she in no way wanted to leave her brother behind. It would be the longest they had ever been apart. By a lot._

"_Promise you'll write every day? I want to hear all about Spain."_

"_Only if you do."_

"_Please, you know I will." He turned to her, smiling._

"_Yes, yes, I do," Sigrid laughed. Nils loved writing letters. Sometimes he would write them just to slide them under her door. Sigrid was the one that would need convincing._

_They stood in silence, both simply enjoying being together. Sigrid had been busy with preparations for the trip, and they had had very little time together. Usually, they were able to slip in some quality twin time at least a few times a week, but now it has been a week and a half since they had been able to talk. _

"_So, are you excited about all the _vackra Spanska pojkar _you will meet?" _beautiful Spanish boys _Nils teased, an attempt to cheer them both up._

"_Nils!" Sigrid pushed him always laughing._

"Va?! _Don't tell me you haven't thought about it."_

"_I haven't!"_

"_Sure." Nils rolled his eyes. Sigrid started laughing as well. However, after a few moments the smile fell from her face._

"_I'm going to miss you so much."_

_Nils pulled his sister into his arms."I'll miss you too, but it will only be three weeks. You'll be back before you know it."_

...o0o...

_A piece of hair fell loose from its tight bun as Nils bent close to the mess on the canvas. This piece was hard, one he had been working on for over a month now. There was something about it; it just never seemed right. It was frustrating; usually the paint flowed easily from his brush, almost without thought. It always come easily to him. Art wasn't something he had to think about. Not this piece though. This one was different. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was, but something was off. _

_Nils was pulled from his thoughts as a gentle hand pulled the rest of his hair loose from its confines._

"_Sigrid…" Nils said, annoyed, but he didn't look up from the infuriating puzzle that was his piece._

"_Yes?" _

"_I'm trying to work."_

"_I know."_

"_So," a slight hint of exasperation was starting to work its way into his voice, "why are you playing with my hair."_

"_Because you are my brother, and I want to play with your hair. It's so much prettier than mine. I love that you've grown it out so much."_

"_Tell that to Mama. She's just about ready to cut it off herself." The exasperated tone was replaced with a laugh as he stood up. Sigrid removed her hands from his hair and moved over to a table to fiddle with his painters' knives._

"_Well, I like it, and so does Kat."_

"_The reason Kat likes it is because it keeps the attention on me and off her. You know Mama has been on her back about appearances." _

"_Well, I like it, so you aren't allowed to cut it!"_

"_My wish is your command, Your Royal Highness," Nils said, putting down the paints he had been putting away to mock a bow to her. He could return to his puzzle later. For now, he wanted to be with his sister._

...o0o...

"_Hej." _Hi

_Nils looked up from his painting to see Sigrid standing in the doorway of his studio, dressed in her pajamas with a pile of paperwork. She looked exhausted and defeated._

"_Hey." He smiled and pulled up a stool next to him, motioning for her to sit down. She came to sit down, so he pushed away the mess of paints and brushes to make room for her. Sigrid dumped the pile of papers on his table, and rested her head on top of them with a sigh. She took a brush from one of the mason jars sitting on the table and started to fiddle with it, not saying a word. _

_They sat in silence for awhile. Nils organized a few of his paints, and Sigrid filled with the brush she had taken. Every once in awhile a shout would drift up from the field below Nils's window. Kat and some friends were playing soccer, and from the sound of it they had roped Ian and Gunnar in too. _

_Nils waited patiently, this was a sort of routine for them. He knew it was best to let her sit and think for a while before asking about it. He would give her some time, then they would work it out. He busied himself with cleaning up his studio for awhile before finally speaking up._

"_Do you want to talk about it?" _

_Without waiting for her to answer, he took her right arm into his hands. He picked up a brush before beginning to trace swirling lines onto his new canvas. The deep indigo he had chosen stood out beautifully on his sister's fair skin. This was something they did often, though neither of them remembered how it started. Sigrid would work on paperwork, talk, or just relax. Nils would paint different parts of her body. He liked working on a living canvas, and she loved the feeling of the cool, smooth paint on her skin. It was relaxing for both of them._

"_Nej, I don't want to talk at all. I just want to sit here and forget the rest of the world." _[No]

"_That could be arranged," Nils said quietly, setting his brow as he concentrated on the swirling pattern moving slowly across his sisters arm._

_Sigrid had had every intention of working on paperwork in the studio, but all thoughts of work fell away as she closed her eyes and relaxed into her brother's touch. Slowly, the world fell away, just as he had promised._

...o0o...

Suddenly, a voice shattered the memories that were playing before Nils's eyes.

"Nils. It's time."

Nils looked up to see Ian, grief written so clearly across his strong features, standing in his doorway. Without saying a word he stood and walked out his door, passed his brother, and down the hall. He did not have the energy to even acknowledge Ian. Not today.

The next hour passed in a blur. Nils was vaguely aware of being led into a dressing, having his makeup done, and a steady stream of people moving about him. None of what anyone them said registered even the slightest bit. He simply shook his head, not caring what they said or what their questions were.

He didn't remember walking into the throne room, but Ian appeared and pulled him gently from his trance.

"Nils, I know you are hurting, we all are. I know this is the last thing you want to do right now, believe me, but you have to do it. Just five minutes, then it will be over."

Nils didn't respond, but Ian pulled him into a hug anyway before slowly walking away to stand with Gunnar and Kat.

Nils knew Ian was right, but that didn't change the reality of what he had to do, what he had to say. It didn't change the fact that he had to share these moments, the darkest and most private moments of his life, with the entire world. It didn't change anything. Nothing at all. And Nils hated it.

Just before the cameras began rolling he closed his eyes and heard his sister in his head.

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

_Do not cry._

_You can do this._

"People of Illéa, it is with the deepest sorrow that I bring you this news. Two days ago, my parents, along with my sister and her husband, boarded a plane destined for Russia. The plane never even landed. It is with a heavy heart that I announce the death of my parents, King William and Queen Sonja; my beloved sister, Crown Princess Sigrid; and my brother-in-law, Prince Anthony. They are no longer with us here on Earth, but they will remain in our hearts for all time."

**AN-**

**Hello, and welcome to **_**Light Carries On**_**! I know it probably seems a bit confusing at the moment, but I will put a bunch of information below! I would like to warn you that once I get all the OCs I need from you lovely people, I will be doing a ton of outlining and planning, so updates might be a bit slow in the beginning. I am very excited about this story though, and I am so happy to be sharing it with you.**

**I will leave a bit of general information here, but other than that it will all be on my profile.**

**On the Swedish: As you probably noticed, Sigrid and Nils speak Swedish. This is true for all the royal children, since their mother is Swendish. This means that they will be speaking a fair bit of the language throughout the story. My Swedish is not perfect, so if any of you readers out there speak Swedish I would love an editor! I also realize that Swedish is not a very commonly spoken language, so I will have translations of any Swedish in brackets after the dialogue.**

**Background: **

**The story starts in July of 3091.**

**King William and Queen Sonja, the sixth child and fourth daughter of the former King of Swendway, were married 3063 to form an alliance between the two countries, who were not on good terms at the time. Two years after they were wed, William's illegitimate son, Ian, was born. William adored him and make him an Earl to ensure his future. **

**Skip ahead a decade or two and Sigrid, the Crown Princess had her Selection and wed a four named Anthony Birdsall. **

**Skip ahead another few years and William, Sonja, Sigrid, and Anthony were leaving for a diplomatic mission to Russia. Their plane crashed en route and they were found and pronounced dead a few hours later. **

**Now Nils, the boy who never expected to be King, must ascend to the throne and learn how to rule a country. He is also pressured into holding a Selection of his own. Now he must juggle dealing with his grief, ruling a country, nobles and advisors scheming for power, **_**and **_**love. **


	2. Gone, Gone, Gone

Chapter 2: Gone, Gone, Gone

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the lives of four wonderful people. We are here to remember them and honor them by being here for the ones they left behind…"

The words washed over Nils, who was barely registering them.. He couldn't be here. It was too much. Too many people. The wrong people. He couldn't talk to them. He couldn't share her with them. He needs to go. He couldn't be here. Too many people. He couldn't do it. He had to leave.

He stood up and walked, determination in his step, out of the hall. He could hear the speaker falter for a moment, but he did not look back. He had to leave. He couldn't face them. He had to be alone. He had to get away. He needed to be alone. He couldn't do it. He had to be alone.

Nils did not stop until he reached the one place he could be alone. He didn't stop until he reached the one place he needed the most at that moment. He stopped in front of a pair of tall oak doors. He reached out and pushed the heavy doors open.

Nothing had changed. The bright and cheerful room was the same as it had always been. The windows were open, paperwork and sheet music were spread across her desk, and, in a sunny corner, her beautiful grand piano stood as proudly as ever. Nils ran his fingers over the perfect ivory keys. He wiped a tear from his cheek. His sister had loved this piano.

Nils turned away from the piano and walked over to his sister's dest. Trying his best not to disrupt the paperwork and music, he took out a blank piece of paper and a pen. It was a fountain pen, the kind Sigrid had always loved. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began to write.

...o0o...

Gunnar cleared his throat before speaking. "The last time I saw my mother, my mama, she was scolding me. Although it would have been nice to have had a loving goodbye or happy moment to remember, this one is perfect. My mother was incredibly dedicated to furthering the education system in Illéa. She cared so much. She visited schools as often as she could. Iy siblings and I used to joke that she cared more about 'the children of Illéa' than her own children. I see now that we couldn't have been more wrong. Yes, she was gone a lot, and yes, she was strict, but she was also the most caring person I have ever met. Even though she was strict and often gone, she did everything she could to make sure we were well cared for. She spent hours and hours finding us the best possible tutors. She always wanted to know how we were doing and if things were bothering us. She paid attention when we talked at dinner. When she was strict it was so that we could learn things from her and not through pain and mistakes. She cared. Maybe she didn't show her love in the same way that other mothers do, but she showed it nonetheless. I see now that she loved us more than anything in the world. And I will love her forever." As Gunnar finished his speech, he walked over to his mother's casket and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Hejdå, Mama." _Goodbye, Mom_

...o0o...

"My sister… I do not have the words to describe the amazing person she was. She was the best sister I could have ever asked for. She was kind and dedicated and passionate. She was beautiful and confidant and stubborn. She was…she was perfect." Katarina had to stop for a moment. "When I was five, I discovered soccer. Sigrid was not the one who taught me to play, but she was the one that ensured I would be able to continue playing. My mother was a kind and loving woman, but she was also a royal, one who had very high expectations for her children. She insisted soccer was not an appropriate pastime for a young lady like myself. I was devastated. I had fallen in love with soccer. Sigrid was the one I turned too. She was the one I cried for hours and hours. She listened and comforted me, all the things an older sister should do. But she also did something else. She saw how much it meant to me, and she decided to do something about it. She took it into her hands to ensure I could continue. She talked and debated with my mother for days, but finally she came into my room and handed me my soccer ball. 'Go do what you love,' she said to me. Because of her disrespect to my mother, she was not allowed to play music for two weeks. She sacrificed the thing she loved most at the time for me. She sacrificed her piano so I could play soccer. She gave me the greatest gift anyone has ever given me. She gave me soccer." Now Kat turned to look at the coffin lying behind her. The one holding her dead sister. Tears streaming down her face, she leaned down and kissed her sisters forehead. "Jag älskar dig, Sigrid. Nu och för alltid." _I love you, Sigrid. Now and forever._

Katarina looked down at her sister for a long time, memorizing every detail of her face. Finally, she brushed away her tears and stood up. She looked out at the crowd before her and nodded politely before slowly walking down to sit with her remaining family.

...o0o...

Ian stood up and walked to the front of the room. People muttered to themselves, surprised to see the King's bastard son speaking. Ian turned to face the crowd, unfazed by their judgement. "I was never close to Queen Sonja, but I was close to my father. I owe him everything. When I was born, instead of throwing me out like many of you would have had him do, he took me in and treated me with love. He gave me a place at his court and loved me as his son. He gave me a home, tutors, clothing, and anything else I might need. He never treated me any differently than his other children. He loved me just the same. I was always a part of the family. I was never made to feel inferior or like an outsider. My siblings too followed in his footsteps and loved me as their brother. But especially my father. I was invited to sit in on privy council meetings with Sigrid, he joked and laughed with me just as he did with Kat, and he loved me as he did all his children. There is nothing I could ever do to thank him enough for all the love and kindness he has shown me, especially when everyone at court turned their backs on me with disdain. No matter what anyone said, he always loved me." At this point, Ian was crying. "Goodbye Dad, I love you forever." Unlike his siblings, Ian only ran his hand along his father's casket before hurrying back to his seat where he was met with hugs from both Gunnar and Kat.

...o0o...

Nils stood outside the hall, waiting for the speaker to finish. He looked down at the piece of paper in his hands, crumpling and uncrumpling it. Maybe this was a mistake. He would probably fall to pieces in front of everyone. It was a bad idea. But he had to. For Sigrid.

Once the speaker finished, Nils took a deep breath, pushed open the heavy doors, and walked into the hall. All eyes turned to him. Nils paid them no fixed his eyes on the photo of Sigrid at the front of the hall and walked to stand in front of it. He gazed at his sister's face for a moment, a single tear fell down to the paper in his hand. Looking back down at the paper, he turned to face the crowd.

"Sigrid, my sister,

I miss you. I miss you so much. Every day since you left I have wandered the halls of this dark palace. I do not know how to live without you. I do not know how to live in a world where you are not here. You were the sun that lit up my world. You were my favorite person. You were the one I would always talk to, the one I felt the most myself around. And now, now I have to live without you.

I remember the first night we slept in separate rooms. I was scared to sleep on my own, so I got out of bed to go to sleep in your room. When I opened my door, there you were. Neither of us could sleep without the other. I remember we spent that whole night talking and playing games. We were so happy to have stayed quiet enough to not wake the night maid. Now though, looking back, I think she was a wake. She just didn't want to interrupt us. She knew we needed each other.

I need you know. The time I need you the most you are not here.

I miss you. And I love you. I will love you forever. As you always promised me, you are my first love.

Kärlek för alltid,

Nils"

* * *

**First of all, thank you so much to all of you that reviewed! It is so great to see that people are excited about this story! I also really appreciate those of you who have reserved provinces or sent in characters, it means a lot to me. **

**Updates should be every week, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, depending on my school work load. Things might change as we get further into the school year, but as of now I have five chapters written ahead, so we should be good for awhile! **

**The SYOC will be closed on Monday, September 16, but if you need extra time, please shoot me a PM, and I will see what I can do. I also want to let everyone know that this is open to all genders/sexes. There seemed to be a bit of confusion on that, so hopefully that clears things up. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I love hearing from you guys.**

**Finally, the link to the Pinterest account for this story is on my profile. I post aesthetics, face claims, boards, etc. for the story. There are often some hints about coming chapters as well, so go check that out!**


	3. Somebody to Love

Chapter 3: Somebody to Love

"Here, let me help you."

Nils looked up from his tie to see Kat standing in his door. She walked over and took the tie from his hands, fixing it for him and turning him to face the mirror.

"You're going to be fine. Everyone knows this is a difficult time, they are on your side. And Ian will be there, so he will help you."

"I know, I know. I'm still terrified though." Nils turned to face his sister. "What if they don't listen to me? I'm not cut out to be King. They will laugh at me. Especially when they are used to Papa and Sigrid. She lived for this job. She was so perfect for it. And I'm just...not."

"Nils. You are going to be _fine._"

"No, Kat, I'm not. I have no idea what I am doing. None at all."

"Yes, it will take some getting used to, and yes, you have a lot to learn, but it is going to be fine. I promise."

"You can't promise that!" Nils said, pulling away from Kat.

"Nils?"

Ian stood in the door. Nils sighed.

"Its time." Ian turned and walked out the door towards the meeting chamber.

Before Nils left to follow Ian, he hugged Kat quickly again. "Thank you."

He took a deep breath and quickened his step to catch up with Ian. He did not want to have to go into that meeting chamber alone. After a few moments, he caught up with his older brother. They walked for a bit before stopping in front of the tall doors that lead to the meeting chamber.

"You ready?" Ian turned to Nils, putting his hand on his younger brother's shoulder.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Nils smiled weakly.

"Alright then." Ian stepped forward and pushed open the door. Nils was met with the sounds of chaos. Nobles and advisors alike were spread about the room, talking to one another, some more passionate than others.

"His Majesty the King," the page announced. Suddenly the room fell silent, and all eyes were on Nils. He quietly cleared his throat and walked to the head of the table. He debated whether or not he should sit, he knew that if he did not no one else could, but he decided to sit. Everyone in the room followed suit. Nils cleared his throat once more before speaking.

"It is my greatest honor to address you, my privy counselors. It is with a heavy heart and great sorrow that I sit before you today as this seat should have belonged to my father for many years to come. However, it is also a great privilege. I am humbled by this opportunity to lead and serve both my country and its people. I know I am not as experienced as my sister, who was meant to sit here, but I also know that you, my privy counselors, will guide me on this path. Thank you."

There was a long silence before the Lord President of the Council spoke. "Thank you, Your Majesty. We are most grateful to have the great honor of serving and advising you." The Lord President stopped and cleared his throat. "We have a few things to discuss today. Firstly, we would like to offer our sincerest condolences to you and your family."

"Thank you, your condolences are appreciated."

"Secondly, your coronation. Seeing as your ascension to the throne was...unexpected, preparations will take time. As of now, the date is set for June 12, 3092, nine months from now. Finally…" Here the Lord President stopped and exchanged glances with a few of the other lords. "Finally, we would like to discuss your Selection."

"My _what_?"

"Your Selection, Your Majesty. I know your father did not have one, but it is the tradition. The only reason he did not have one was because of the need for an alliance with Swendway and his lack of siblings. We would like to discuss preparations for yours"

"I'm sorry, but you want me to have a _Selection_? You want me to invite thirty-five young women into my home? Now? After everything I have lost? Really? My father is _dead. _My mother is _dead. _My _sister is dead. _And you want me to have a Selection? You want me to host an event that requires parties and balls and entertaining guests? You want me to host such an event only weeks after my mother and my father and my _twin sister _were killed?"

"Your Majesty, please, do not raise your voice-"

"No! You do not tell me what to do!"

"My apologies, I only meant that this is a tradition. It cannot simply be ignored."

"_It can if I say it can. I am King and I say I will _not _have a Selection!_"

Nils abruptly stood, frantically followed by the entire privy council, and stormed out of the meeting chamber. He could hear Ian following and calling after him, but he did not stop. He couldn't. How could they ask this of him? How could they ask him to have a Selection at this time? How could they ask him to host parties? How could they ask him to invite strangers into his home? How could they ask him to _fall in love_? How could they? It was cruel.

He didn't stop walking until he was outside the palace and far into the gardens. Slowly, he came to a stop and collapsed onto the ground, tears quickly beginning to fall from his eyes. Before long, he was hugging his knees to his chest, rocking back and forth and sobbing.

After some time, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Nils."

No answer.

"Nils, please look at me."

Slowly, Nils lifted his head to look at his brother, tears still streaming down his face. Ian put his arms around Nils, holding his brother in a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I promise, I had no idea."

"How? How can they ask me to do something like that? Especially now?

"I don't know. I do not know. What I do know is that you do not want to anger the nobles this early. Now is a time you need them on your side. These early months, they will be difficult. You want to have as many people on your side as possible."  
Nils pulled away from his brother. "But a Selection? Ian, you can't really expect me to agree."

"I'm not saying you should do it, I am only saying you should _consider _it. Think about what it would mean to say no."

"What about what it would mean to say yes?" Nils stood up, taking a few steps away from his brother.

"I know, I know what it would mean. I am only saying that you should think about it."

"Fine." Nils did not look at Ian, even when Ian put his hand on his shoulder.

"I am here for you though. I will always be here. All you have to do is call. I'm on your side."

...o0o...

_Sigrid, _

_I expected this from the counselors. Well, I expected something, maybe not this, but something. I knew they would try to pressure me into something, but Ian? Ian is supposed to be on my side. He is supposed to be the one person who is always on my side, no matter what. He was supposed to be there for me, but instead, he told me I should just do whatever they privy council wants! And you know what? Maybe I should have expected this as well. Honestly, why should I have expected anything else? No, the world has clearly shown me that I am destined to be alone in this life. Left to deal with all of this on my own. It handed me a crown, 'here, have this. I'm sure you'll figure it out.' Because that's how it works apparently! No matter how much you prepare, it is never for the right thing! Was I supposed to have this job? No! Was I supposed to be left alone to do it myself? No! But here we are! Here we are…_

Here Nils stopped. He fell silent and slowly dropped into the chair at his desk. He looked over at the picture of his smiling sister sitting on his desk, tears starting to slide down his face.

_I can't do this, Sigrid. I can't do this alone. I can't do this without you here. I don't know how._

_Nils_

Nils's head fell into his hands. He let himself melt into his tears, ignoring the decision he had to make, if only for a moment.

After sitting there for several minutes, he brushed off the tears and stood up. Despite how much he hated it, he knew what he had to do.

...o0o...

Nils stood outside the meeting chamber, thinking about what he was about to do. Was it the right choice? Could he do this? Would he be able to get through this? But then again, did he have any other choice? This was his only option. He had to do it. He had no choice.

He let out a heavy breath and pushed open the heavy doors.

"His Majesty the King."

Nils quickly moved to his place, this time not sitting down. "I have considered your offer," He waited several moments before continuing. "and I have decided to continue with a Selection. It will be announced tonight and forms will be sent out in two days. The Selection will take place three weeks later, and the Selected will arrive the week after." Without another word, Nils walked out of the meeting chamber.

...o0o...

"People of Illéa, I have a special announcement for you today. To console the nation after the tragic death of my parents, sister, and brother-in-law, I have decided to hold my own Selection. This Selection will be open to all citizens aged nineteen to twenty-six. The forms will be sent out in two days, and I encourage all of you to enter. I look forward to sharing this exciting time with you."

* * *

**Sorry this chapter is a bit late, I was on a backpacking trip this weekend. I will try to keep updates roughly every week around the weekend, but obviously that doesn't always work! Anyway, thank you for reading, and thank you to all the people who reviewed the last chapter!**


	4. Showboat

Chapter 4: Showboat

Nils looked up from the paint chips he was studying to see Kat lying on the floor, surrounded by her own paint chips, with her eyes closed. He sighed, deciding against waking her up, she hadn't been much help anyway.

Nils and his siblings, along with what felt like the entire palace, had only been working on preparations for his upcoming Selection for a few days, and already everyone was sick of it. They had all helped with the preparations for Sigrid's selection a few years ago, but then they had the help of their parents and of course Sigrid. Sigrid had loved things like this. She loved organizing and making lists and picking out all the little things, like what color the curtains in the Selected's rooms should be and which forks should be used at the Welcoming Banquet. Nils on the other hand, would have much preferred to assign the job to someone else. But apparently it was tradition for the Prince or Princess, or in this case, King, who was hosting the Selection to make all these decisions, and God forbid he break tradition.

After being lost in thought for a few moments, Nils turned his attention back to the paint chips he was holding. He was supposed to be deciding the color of the rooms the Selected would be staying in. It was such a trivial thing, but apparently, it was important. All his advisors kept telling him he should enjoy this, he was an artist after all. He tried to enjoy it, he did, but if he was being honest with himself, he really just to be alone in his room. He wanted to be away from the constant reminders of Sigrid and his family. He wanted to be away from all the prying eyes and pitying looks. It hurt too much.

Screw it, he decided. He needed to be alone. Kat could figure this out, she could enlist Claudia to help. She could deal with it.

He stood up, looked over at Kat, who was still asleep, and walked out of the room and down the hall. He slowed for a moment outside his studio but shook his head and continued walking down the hall to his room.

...o0o...

Kat rolled over and opened her eyes before pushing herself up off the floor. She rubbed her eyes and looked around to see that Nils was gone. She sighed. They had been supposed to do this together. She had even skipped practice to be there for her brother because she cared about him and wanted to support him. Apparently, the feeling wasn't mutual.

She felt her phone buzz and looked down to see a message from Claudia.

CLAUDE: Hey

CLAUDE: How is my Love?

KATE: Send help! Nils left me alone to decorate the rooms for the Selected!

CLAUDE: I'll be there in 5 ❤️

Kat smiled. Her girlfriend was the most perfect person she had ever met! How could such a beautiful, kind, funny, romantic person even exist? And on top of all that, love her? It was incredible.

She set about cleaning up the paint chips that were strewn about the floor. If there was one thing Claudia hated, it was things being disorganized. She could not stand when things were messy or out of place. This sometimes made Kat wonder why Claudia chose to date her. She was not exactly the neatest person.

"Hey, Love."

Kat looked up and smiled. Claudia was standing in the door. She jumped up and ran to hug her girlfriend before quickly kissing her and turning to pick up a box of paint chips.

"Okay, so here's the deal-"

"Hey, is that all I get?" Claudia laughed and pulled Kat back into her arms for another, longer kiss.

Kat melted into the kiss for a moment but quickly pulled away again to pick up the paint chips.

"Okay, okay, I love you, but this is not the time! We have work to do!"

"_Fine_, if you insist, what is it we need to be doing?

"I do insist, and we need to pick out a color to paint the walls. I am horrible at this whole colors thing. Nils was helping but…"

"Give me the paint chips."

"Thank you! I love you so so much!"

"Ya, ya, hand them over."

Kat gave the paint chips, and another kiss, to Claudia, who started flipping through them.

"So, were you thinking bright color, pasteles, earth tones, neutral…?" Claudia asked, looking up from the paint chips.

"Um…neutral?"

"Okay, that makes the most sense."

Kat bit her lip as Claudia turned back to her work. This is not how she wanted to spend an afternoon with her girlfriend. There is absolutely nothing sexy or romantic about interior design. Besides, this was Nils's job.

"Okay, I think this one would be best. Thoughts?" Claudia held up a creamy white chip.

"It's perfect. Now, come _on_!" Kat jumped up, grabbed Claudia's hand and pulled her out the door.

"Have I mentioned lately how much I love you?"

"Yes, yes, come _on_!"

Kat ran down the hall, shouting as they passed Nils's room, "We picked a color, the rest is on you!"

They picked up their pace, laughing and running down the stairs towards the doors to the grounds. They didn't stop as they ran out the doors, guards shouting after them. They kept running until they were far enough down the hill that you couldn't see the palace, where Kat fell on the ground, laughing. Claudia fell on top of her, smiling as she leaned down to kiss her girlfriend.

"Jag älskar dig."

"I love you too."

...o0o...

Nils was woken from his nap to hear Kat and Claudia running down the hall, laughing and shouting. He smiled. He was glad at least one of them was happy. He stood up and pulled on his shirt and pants before walking out of his room and down the stairs to the entrance hall. His cousin, Princess Åsa of Swendway, was sitting on one of the chairs, reading a book. He walked over to sit down next to her.

"Hej."

She looked up from her book and smiled. "Hej."

"Are you leaving tomorrow?"

"Ja." _Yes_

"I'll miss you…"

Åsa put down her book and pulled Nils into her arms. "Jag vet, men vi kommer tillbaka om några månader." _I know, but we will be back in a few months._

"Or maybe sooner…?"

"Ja, maybe sooner," Åsa smiled.

"It has been so good to have you here. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too."

They were silent for a few moments before Åsa spoke again.

"You know… Gustav became King before his time as well…"

Nils turned to Åsa, a questioning look in his eyes.

"He knows what it is like," Åsa finished quickly, "So if you wanted someone to talk to, someone who would understand-"

"Do you think I can't do the job? Do you think I need help? I have enough people doubting be. I thought at least you would believe in me!" Nils stood abruptly and turned away.

"Nils," Åsa put her hand on his shoulder, "of course I believe in you. You are doing an incredible job. I only meant it might be nice to talk to someone. I know Gustav could have used someone who understood when he took the throne."

Nils sighed.

"I'm sorry I snapped, it's been a long week."

"Don't apologize. I know how hard this is. I am on your side. Always."

"Thank you," Nils smiled.

"Good. Now, what's say you and me go get some ice cream? Or cake? Or kanelbullar?"

"Cinnamon buns sound perfect."

Åsa took Nils's hand and they walked off towards the kitchen.

They when they reached the kitchen and peeked in to see if there were any cooks working. When they saw no one, they tiptoed in, laughing at the ludicracy of Nils sneaking around to get food. Nils walked over to the cabinet where he knew Rosa, one of the older cooks, always kept the extra bullar and looked in.

"Perfect! There are two left."

Åsa looked in another cabinet and found two small plates, taking them over to Nils. They took the bullar and hurried out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the library. They walked past the endless shelves of age-old books to the back corner of the library where a small spiral staircase was hidden in the shelves. Nils led the way up the stairs to a small, cozy room with a few couches and a fireplace.

"Wow, I've never seen this room before," Åsa whispered, looking around.

"Ya, not many people have. It was my mom's favorite place. She didn't want a lot of people to know about it. It was where she would go when she didn't want to be found. When she wanted to be alone." Nils looked down at his bullar, his voice wavering. "Anyway, I like it. It's cozy."

"Ja, it's beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me."

"Of course," Nils smiled, "Now, lets eat!"

...o0o...

"I just miss them, you know? I really miss them."

Claudia continued running her hands through Kat's hair and hummed, thinking before she spoke.

"You're always going to miss her. The missing never goes away. It just changes. I guess you learn to live with it. You realize that You don't have another choice."

"I can't imagine ever getting used to this feeling. I feel so empty, but at the same time I feel like I am going to burst because I am so full of grief and pain. It's not just emotional pain, I physically hurt. My stomach feels like it is on fire. My body aches. I have a constant headache. And it's even worse because the people I should be able to go to when I am in pain are gone. They're gone, Claude. They're gone and they are never coming back."

"Oh, Katie…"

"I'm fine. I'm fine, and this is depressing. Let's talk about something else." Kat stood up and wiped her face off, turning away from Claudia.

"Katie…"

"I said talk about something else!"

Kat sighed.

"I'm sorry. Can we please just talk about something else?"

Claudia stood up and placed a kiss on Kat's forehead, smoothing her hair down as she did.

"Whatever you want."

"Thank you," Kat whispered and held out her hand.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Claudia spoke again.

"So," She stopped and smiled at Kat, "Our two year aniversary is next week. We should do something."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Oh, you know…" Claudia wrapped her arms around Kat from behind and rested her chin on her shoulder, "Dinner, candles, roses…"

"Oh…" Kat's voice faltered for a moment.

"I'm kidding! I know you. How about this? We start with a run…"

"Go on…"

"Then go to dinner…I was thinking crab legs."

"Yes…"

"And finally, cuddles and The Princess Bride!"

"God, I love you!" Kat laughed, turning round in Claudia's arms to kiss her.

"Did you really think I would give you a fancy dinner for our anniversary?"

"No… but romance is kinda your thing."

"Yes, but I _know _you."

"Yes, you do."

With that, Kat darted off towards the palace, Claudia not far behind.

* * *

**I want to say thank you to everyone who has been reviewing and sending in characters! The SYOC is open for about another week, but if you need more time shoot me a PM and we can talk.**


	5. Be Alright

Chapter 5: Be Alright

"'Beer, Wine, or Spirits'? Nils, you can't ask the Selected about their preferred form of _alcohol_ when you meet them!" Gunnar was sitting across the room from Nils, looking through the list of questions he and Kat had come up with.

"That one was definitely Kat. Besides, it is a good question. We are going to be having parties and balls, might as well know what people like. It could also be good information for dates."

"But as a question you ask them when you first meet them?"

"Fair point. How about 'What is your favorite drink'?"

Gunnar gave him a funny look. "Um…I guess as a last resort?"

"Well, what are your suggestions?" Nils fell back into his chair, defeated but laughing.

"'What do you like to do in your spare time?' Things like that. Things a _normal _person would ask."

"What? You think _I'm_ not normal?"

"Hmm…you live in a palace, you grew up going to balls, your parents ruled a country, your cousin rules another country, and you are now a King in your own right. Does that sound normal to you?"

"Point taken," Nils laughed, "Seriously though, I have no idea how to do this. I don't know how to be romantic. I've never even dated anyone, let alone kissed someone. I don't know how to do any of that."

"I won't be much help on that front, but you have Kat. I'm sure she could teach you a thing or two."

"Right," Nils rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious, she and Claudia have a pretty good thing going, and there is always Ian. We are here for you. I might not know much about romance, but I can help with other things. And just because you aren't experienced doesn't mean you can't do it. And just because they have experience doesn't mean they will be any better at it. No two relationships are the same."

"Okay, but how do I even ask someone out? Do I just go up to them and be like 'Hey, you wanna go on a date with me?'? Plus, I have to manage _thirty-five_ people. It's not just dating one person, it's dating thirty five people. I have to make sure people get equal time, at least in the beginning."

"Ya, but you can eliminate people pretty quickly too. There is the initial elimination after the welcome banquet, so that will narrow things down a bit."

"That's true, but it's still twenty-some people. I don't know how Sigrid did it. She seemed so confident. She never seemed stressed or overwhelmed. I don't know how she did it."

The two fell silent, focusing on the task at hand.

A knock came from the door, and Nils looked up to see Åsa standing in the door.

"Hej, we are about to leave." She smiled sadly, playing with her dress.

"Oh," Nils's face fell. "We'll be down in a minute."

"Okay."

Åsa turned and walked down the hall in the direction of the entrance hall. Gunnar turned to Nils and sighed before standing up. He put a hand on his brother's shoulder and walked out of the room to follow Åsa. He loved his cousins of course, but he was not as close to Åsa as Nils. He knew how hard it would be for them to say goodbye.

A few moments later, Nils stood as well and hesitated a moment before following Gunnar out of his room. He walked slowly down the hall, running his fingers along the wall. He had so many memories of this hallway. It was one of the places he spent the most time as a child.

...o0o...

_3073, 18 years ago_

"_Åsa, kom inge!" Nils ran down the hall, holding his cousin's hand while his sister counted._

"_Ett…två…tre…fyra…"_

_Nils and Åsa ran down the hall, turning this way and that, looking for a place to hide. Nils let go of her hand and turned to open a small, hidden door that lead to a dark linen closet. He could hear Åsa running further down the hall, but he had a plan. _

_After sitting in the dark closet for several minutes he heard Sigrid coming down the hall. He held his breath, Sigrid did not know about this particular linen closet, so he hoped if he stayed silent, he would be able to stay hidden. _

_Once the sound of her footsteps faded, Nils stuck his head out the door and looked down the hallway in the direction she had been going. Deciding the coast was clear, he darted out of the closet and down the hall in the opposite direction. _

_He kept running until he looked back for a moment and ran straight into something._

"_Nils! What are you doing?"_

"_Mama! Me and Åsa and Sigrid are playing hide and seek. I'm hiding from Sigrid."_

"_Well, you don't look like you're hiding to me!"_

"_Well…I _was _hiding…"_

_Sonja laughed, "Come with me. I have the perfect place. I'll even hide with you."_

_Sonja took Nils's hand, picked up the skirt of her dress, and lead him down the hall to the library._

"_We're hiding in the library?" Nils asked, clearly confused._

"_Not exactly, mitt hjärta. Follow me." Sonja lead him to the back of the library, to a dark, dusty corner that seemed like it hadn't been touched in a century. Hidden in the corner behind a bookcase was a small spiral starecase. Sonja smiled to Nils and lead him up the stairs. At the top, he found a small, cozy room with couches, a few tables, and a crackling fireplace. _

_A smile spread across Nils's face and he turned to hug his mother._

"_Isn't this nice?" she smiled, hugging him back._

"_Yes! Will you read to me?"_

"_Of course. What should we read?"_

"_Ollie's Ski Trip!"_

"_Alright, go see if it is on the shelf."_

_Nils ran over to a bookcase that was clearly full of children's books. He looked for a few moments before finding the one he was looking for and bringing it over to his mother. After handing t to her, he climbed into her lap and situated himself comfortably._

"'On Ollie's sixth birthday, his father gave him a pair of new skis…"

...o0o...

Nils was pulled from his memories by chatter from below. He looked over the banister to see Åsa; her brother, Gustav; and her sister in law, Marta, talking with Gunnar, Kat and Ian. Nils shook his head, pushing away his thoughts of Sigrid, and walked down to see his family. Because the date of the Swendish Royal Family's departure had been kept a secret, there was no press present. They could say their goodbyes in private. Gustav looked up from the conversation he was having with Ian to see Nils as he walked over and opened his arms to his younger cousin.

"Nils, _kom hit_. I'm going to miss you!"

Nils walked over to hug his cousin. "I'm going to miss you too, Gustav."

At that, Gustav leaned down to whisper something in Nils's ear. "Do not hesitate to call me. I am here for you. I know what it is like to ascend unexpectedly. Even if it is just to talk, call me."

"Thank you. Truly." Nils pulled away and turned to his family.

Kat was talking with Marta and Ian, and Gunnar had started a conversation with Åsa. Nils smiled. He loved these people, his family. He loved them so much. But his smile faltered as he thought of the people who were missing. His mother had never gotten to say goodbye to her family. She and Gustav had been very close, and now she would never see him again. Marta was pregnant, his mother would never get to see their child. The child that would probably be named after her favorite brother. It was unfair. It was so unfair.

"Nils. Nils!"

Nils looked up from his hands to see Åsa standing in front of him, a worried look on her face.

"Are you okay?"

"Ya," he cleared his throat, "Ya, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Ya, I'm good."

"Okay. Oh, I'm going to miss you so much!" She pulled him into one last hug before turning to say goodbye to Kat.

Nils glanced back down at his hands before walking over to say goodbye to Marta.

"Marta," he said, opening his arms to hug her.

"Oh Nils, it was so good to see you! You have to come visit us again soon!" She hugged him, squeezing him a bit too tightly.

"I would love to! And it was good to see you too!" He pulled away, smiling at her.

"Kom inge!" _Come on!_ Gustav called from the door, holding a briefcase and motioning for a valet to load their luggage into the limousine.

Marta and Åsa picked up their own bags and walked out to the car, followed by Kat, Gustav, Ian, and Nils, all of whom were waving frantically.

"Hej då!" _Goodbye!_

"Goodbye, Nils!"

"Hej då, Kat!"

"Hej då!"

"Goodbye!"

As the limousine pulled away, Kat put her arms around siblings. "They really are the best cousins, aren't they?"

"Yes, yes they are."

* * *

**Hey all! Sorry it's been awhile, I had this written, but I've been so busy I never got around to posting. I was organizing the climate strike in my town, which left me with very little free time. As you may have noticed, I am pretty busy, and I'm away from wifi pretty frequently. Because of this, updates can be inconsistent, but I try my best! **

**As of now, the SYOC is closed, but if you need a bit of extra time or something, just shoot me a PM and we can talk! I would like to thank all the lovely creators that sent in characters; I can't thank you enough. I am so excited to write all your amazing girls!**


	6. Wildest Dreams

Chapter 6: Wildest Dreams

Lugia Board hummed as she walked out of her dad's department store a few minutes after six. She had just finished a long shift and was ready to get out of there. She loved working as a manager of the makeup department, but it could be taxing at times. There were at least three snobby twos in today and sometimes they just pushed her over the edge.

She stepped out onto the street and looked down at her phone. She was supposed to be playing Dungeons and Dragons at a friend's house in three hours. If she was quick, she should have enough time to stop by the Province Services Office to drop off her form on her way home. She had filled it out the day it arrived, but she hadn't had time to drop it off yet.

She stopped at the corner, putting in earbuds and turning on her favorite song before slipping her phone into her pocket and heading towards the PSO. She considered stopping for a cup of coffee, but she knew she didn't have a whole lot of time before she was supposed to meet her friends, especially if she wanted to film a vlog before she left. A cup of coffee did sound good though… Maybe she would pick one up on the way home.

Or maybe not…Lugia sighed as she turned the corner onto the block where the PSO was located. There was a line of at least fifty people stretched out the door, and it did not seem to be moving very quickly, if at all.

When the form arrived in Luigia's mailbox, she had not hesitated for a moment. This was perfect. It was her dream. Living in an _actual _palace? Yes please! Even if it was only for a few weeks, it was still the opportunity of a lifetime. She could become friends with Prince Gunnar or Princess Kat. She could get her name in to get a job. That would be incredible. Not to mention the large stipend that came along with it.

After almost an hour standing in line, which at least provided some good time for vlogging, it was finally her turn. She handed over her form and ID and waited while the six looked over her papers. She smiled when the lady handed her a form to sign and handed it back, not before filming a tidbit of her signing it. She then stepped over to the corner to have her picture taken. She smiled brightly and the camera flashed. The cameraman, a bored looking five, signaled that she was done, and she made her way out of the PSO. She looked down at her phone, checking the clock. Did she have enough time to stop at Starbucks? Of course she did, there was always time for Starbucks!

She ducked into the Starbucks on her way home and ordered a double espresso with cream, whip, and rainbow sprinkles, because who doesn't want rainbow sprinkles? She stopped outside the door to take a photo and hurried home as quickly as she could.

"Hello, fellow humans! It's LugiaButNotThePokemon, and there is big news here in Illéa! Our very own, and brand new, King Nils is hosting a Selection! Think the Bachelor starring Cinderella." Lugia paused for a moment to take a sip of her coffee. "So, when I heard about the Selection, I was obviously like, 'Um, yes please, where can I sign up?' I mean, who doesn't want to go live in a palace? Of course I filmed the whole process, so those of you who want to enter but haven't yet can see how it works! I would definitely suggest going early, the line was very long."

Lugia stood up from her desk and turned off her camera, noticing the "storage full" light was on. She would have to remember to check that when she got home. She looked down at her phone, she only had fifteen minutes before she had to be at her friend's house. She gulped down the last of her coffee, texted Issac that she would be out late, and headed out the door.

...o0o...

Clara Hamilton opened her phone after pouring the popcorn kernels into the pot on the stove. Benjamin and Adrianna were in the living room, curled on the couch with their eyes fixed on the tv. The Selecting had been going on for about forty-five minutes, and Clara could not understand how they were still so interested. It was so boring. All it was was the prince drawing slips of paper from baskets and announcing the name written on it. How could that possibly be so interesting?

She peeked into the pot to see if the popcorn was anywhere near ready. Seeing no change in the kernels, she looked back to her phone and opened Instagram. She sighed as she scrolled through post after post talking about the Selection. She honestly didn't understand why people care so much. Couldn't they tell the whole thing was rigged? Did they really think it was random?

Despite her criticisms, Clara herself had entered, but that was only because she had bet Benjamin and Adrianna $20 she wouldn't be picked. She had no idea why they agreed, it was a stupid bet. But hey, if it got her $20, she wouldn't complain.

The sound of popping started in the pot, pulling her attention away from her phone. She pulled a big bowl down from the shelf and pulled the butter out of the fridge. Once the popping slowed, she pulled off the lid and emptied the contents of the pot into the bowl.

"Clara!" Benjamin called from the living room, "He's pulling Lakedon, you only have a few minutes!"

"Coming!" she called back, pouring the melted butter over the popcorn.

"Clara Hamilton, get out here!" Adrianna yelled at her.

Clara grabbed the bowl and walked out to sit down with them. "I'm here, I'm here, no need to freak out."

Adriana grabbed a handful of popcorn and handed the bowl to Benjamin as Clara turned her attention to the tv. All three royal siblings were seated in a row in front of thirty-five baskets, each filled to the brim with white envelopes. She watched as a young man in a butler's uniform walked over to one of the baskets, drew an envelope, and walked over to the siblings. He bowed as King Nils took the envelope from his gloved hand. The king meticulously opened the envelope and read the name before looking up to the camera.

"From Likely, Lady Sybil Son." The king smiled, and his siblings clapped politely while the butler walked over to the next basket and the process was repeated again.

"From Midston, Lady Eloise Birdsall."

Adrianna grabbed Clara's hand and grinned at her.

"Here it comes!" She exclaimed, Benjamin beaming right alongside her.

"Oh my God you guys, it is _not _a big deal. Do you really think I am going to be selected? Let's be real," Clara sighed, rolling her eyes and pulling her hand out of Adrianna's. Despite her doubts, she felt a few butterflies in her stomach as she leaned forward to watch as the butler bowed and the king took the envelope from his hand. She could feel Adrianna take a deep breath and hold it as King Nils read the name and looked at the camera.

"From Ottaro, Lady Clara Hamilton."

"OH MY GOD!" Adrianna and Benjamin screamed, both jumping up from their seats. Clara, pure shock written across her face, fell back into her sean, her mouth agape. She tried to form words, but she was so in shock that all she could do was sit there as her friends danced around her, screaming and shouting.

...o0o...

Kesa Jimenez stood, the way she had told so many of her own clients to stand in front of a long mirror as three people bustled around her, taking measurements and muttering to themselves. The past week had been the craziest and most chaotic of Kesa's life. There were more people coming and going from the Van Alen house than Kesa or her mother had ever seen. Her days were now full of interviews, doctor's appointments, fittings, and endless phone calls. She was exhausted. All she wanted to do was to sit down with a pencil and paper or relax with Louise.

She looked up from the mirror as Caroline Banker, her case worker, stepped into the room. Caroline was the woman who was now, seemingly, in charge of Kesa's life. She had been at the Van Alen house every day from six in the morning until six at night for the past week. She had been explaining all the ins and outs of the Selection, explaining the rules, tutoring Kesa in etiquette, managing interviews and fittings, and generally preparing Kesa for life at the palace.

"Lady Kesara," Caroline nodded to her before turning to the seamstress that was currently measuring Kesa's waist, the one who was, supposedly, in charge of designing her ball gowns. Caroline began speaking to the woman in rapid French. Kesa sighed, clearly they did not want to include her in whatever they were discussing. She turned her focus back to the mirror and let her thoughts wander to where they had been going most often since her name had been drawn: to what her life would be like from now on.

Obviously she and her mother would no longer have to work for the Van Alen's, but would they choose to leave? She had lived with them for as long as she could remember, Louise was like a sister to her. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to live anywhere else. Then again, she was about to move to the palace. Even if she was eliminated in the very first round, she would still be there for at least a week. A week at the palace, the palace where the _Royal Family of Illéa _lived. She could hardly imagine it. In a week's time she would be living in the same building as the Royal Family.

"Lady Kesara? Lady Kesara!"

Kesa looked **up** from the mirror, surprised to be pulled from her thoughts. "Yes?"

"I asked you which you prefer, maroon or indigo," Caroline sighed, exasperated.

"Oh, maroon, sorry," Kesara blushed.

"Don't let your mind wander, that kind of behavior will not be tolerated at the palace," Caroline snapped, turning back to the seamstress, and returning to French.

"Yes, ma'am," Kesara whispered, sighing herself. Who knew there were so many ways to do break "protocol," and to think, she wasn't even at the palace yet! She closed her eyes, pushing away the stress of it all and picturing instead all the reasons she was happy and excited about being a daughter of Illéa.

* * *

**Hey all! I'm so excited to introduce Lugia, by Milly; Clara,** **by ****Shadowbird38; and Kesa, by Sylea! The SYOC is now officially closed and I have all my characters, so that is very exciting. I will be posting brief descriptions of each of them on my profile sometime in the near future. As always, thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter!**


	7. Here We Go

Chapter 7: Here We Go

Xiu Li leaned back in the hard chair at her gate in the Fennley International Airport, shut her eyes, and turned up her music, _Come On Get Higher_, by Matt Nathanson, tuning out the rest of the world. After a few moments, she sighed and opened her eyes, bored already. Why had they told her to get to the airport so early? Who needs to be at the airport _five hours _early? No one. She needed to meet two of the other selected, but how long could that possibly take? Certainly not five hours.

Her eyes scanned the terminal, jumping from person to person. Airports were the very best places to people watch. You find the very strangest people at airports. It's like they are their own world. Everyone is sleep deprived; someone is always running around screaming; and no one knows what day it is, let alone what time it is. A breeding ground for interesting people. Take the old man sitting across the way, he had been staring at the coffee mug in his hands for at least five minutes, as if he was having a staring contest with it. Or the woman who had taken twenty minutes to eat a soft pretzel. All she did for twenty minutes was sitting in her chair and eat her pretzel. The child who was somehow sleeping with his back on the floor and his feet straight up in the air. The man who was running through the terminal shouting in Russian and wearing only his pajamas and crocs. The mother with four children who looked like she was just about ready to tear off all her hair, possibly with her head along with it. She could really use a coffee.

Xiu looked down at her own green tea. It was sub par, a cheap, barely-green-tea-enough-to-call-itself-green-tea version version from Starbucks, but at least it was green tea. She took a sip, sighed, and focused on a tall, blonde girl who was walking with great purpose. Xiu couldn't tell where she was looking because the girl was wearing sunglasses, but she seemed to be walking right towards her. Maybe she was one of the other selected.

Sure enough, the girl walked straight up to her, a bright smile on her face, and held out her hand.  
"Hi! I'm Katherine, Katherine Bower. You must be Xiu Li. I could tell because of the, you know," the girl, Katherine, apparently, gestured to her own head, "pink. Seriously cool by the way, I love it!"

"Right…" Xiu said slowly, taking a moment to look the other girl over. She was certainly very friendly. She seemed nice enough.

"Do you know which other girl is supposed to meet us? I think I got a list, but I lost it on the last flight. I only recognized you because of the hair. Kinda hard to forget."

"Ya, I guess it stands out. I don't know who the other girl is, but I think I have my list here somewhere." Xiu put down her tea and reached into her bag for her wallet. She pulled it out and rifled through the receipts and space change before she found the slip of paper with three names on it.

_Xiu Li, Fennley_

_Sybil Son, Likely_

_Katherine Bower, Zuni_

"Sybil Son I guess. From Likely. Doesn't ring any bells."

"Same. They should have given us pictures. I guess we're lucky we have you and your pink hair. Hopefully this Sybil girl remembers your hair too."

"Ya, no kidding."

"Um, Hi?"

The two girls looked up to see a dark haired girl standing in front of them.

"Are you Sybil?" Katherine asked.

"Ya, but it's Joan actually. I assume you're Xiu?" Joan, like Katherine, gestured to Xiu's hair.

"Yep, nice to meet you."

"Which would make you Katherine," Joan turned to Katherine, who smiled and nodded.

The three were interrupted by an announcement over the loudspeakers.

"Flight 1754 with service to Tierra del Rey will begin now begin boarding. We would now like to invite aboard our passengers with children under the age of three and those who need extra time to get down the jetway."

...o0o...

Katherine Bower put down her book and looked over at the two girls seated next to her. Joan, who was in the aisle seat, and Xiu, who was next to Katherine, were both asleep already, despite the fact that they were barely off the ground. She smiled; they seemed to be nice people. Joan though, something about her was nagging Katherine. She could have sworn she had seen her before.

Katherine put her book away in her bag before popping her earbuds in, turning up the sweet sound of The Beatles, and opened her web browser. She had already looked Sybil Son up, but maybe that hadn't been the right way to go. She quickly typed "Joan Son" into the search bar and hit enter. The first several links were, of course, Selection related, but once she got passed the recent interviews and news articles about Joan Son, the Selected, she found what she was looking for.

"_Performer and Producer Joan Son Opens Up About Plans For the Life After 'Misfits'"_

Katherine clicked the link and quickly skimmed the article about her fellow selected's dream to become a music producer until she found information about how Joan had been in a band called "Misfits" with a guy named Kade Lee. Katherine didn't recognize the band, but it would make sense that she recognized Joan, apparently they had been pretty famous.

Katherine sat back in her seat and slipped her phone into her pocket. She hadn't really thought about the fact that there would be famous people at the palace with her. Of course there had been names she recognized; Lissette Mondanado, a supermodel; Ruta Sepetys, the daughter of some politician or another; and Thomas Peck, Avery Mozen, and Aaron Seaver, all famous actors. She knew they were Selected, just like her, but she hadn't thought about actually _meeting _them and getting to know them. She shook her head; maybe this was going to be weirder than she thought.

Before she could let herself go too far down that rabbit hole of a daydream, she was interrupted by an announcement saying the flight attendants would soon be coming around to pass out the complimentary drinks and snacks.

Katherine turned her mind away from daydreams about famous men and instead focused on what was ahead of her. In a few short hours she would be arriving at the Domus Aurea, the Royal Palace of Illéa. She would meet King Nils, Prince Gunnar, and Prince Katarina. She would be living in the same building as them. It was insane. She, Katherine Bower, a teacher barely out of school, would be sleeping at the palace tonight.

She lay her head back on the headrest and smiled, her eyes gently closing as she continued to daydream about life at the palace.

Katherine was jolted awake as the plane landed roughly in Tierra del Rey. She rubbed her eyes and looked out the window. It was rainy and overcast, certainly not the sunny welcome one might expect when arriving for the Selection.

She, Xiu, and Joan were ushered off the plane and into a large room. The walls were lined with cocktail snacks and drinks, but no one seemed to be paying them much attention. The room was bustling with people, people Katherine could only assume were other Selected. They all seemed to be getting to know each other, but before she could go introduce herself, a woman standing at the front of the room cleared her voice and clapped her hands three times.

"Now that all of you are here, we will begin. My name is Evelyn Pruitt. I am the Royal Planner and will oversee all Selection activities, your personal needs during your stay at the palace, as well as your education throughout the Selection. You may address me as Ma'am or Mrs. Pruitt." At that, a few people snickered, causing Evelyn to stop and give them a bone chilling stare. "You will treat me, along with every other person at the palace, no matter their position, with respect. At all times. If I, or His Majesty, deem your behavior disrespectful or unkind there _will _be consequences. Many believe His Majesty is the only individual with the ability to eliminate individuals from the Selection, however, I, too, possess this power, and I assure you, I am a much less lenient person. I will not hesitate to eliminate any one of you.

"Now, in a few short moments you will be escorted to a limousine with the fellow Selected you traveled here with. When you arrive at the palace, you will be shown directly to the Men's Room and Women's Room, respectively. There, you will each receive a makeover, after which you will have your first interview. Once your interview is complete, you will be shown to your rooms and left to situate yourselves for the afternoon. Dinner will begin at precisely 7:00; tardiness will not be tolerated. Your maids will help you prepare and find your way around the palace. You will not meet His Majesty tonight, however, his sister, the Princess Katarina will be joining you for dinner.

"Sons and Daughters of Illéa, welcome to the Selection."

...o0o...

Joan Son looked out the window of the limousine she was seated in before turning to Xiu, who was sitting next to her.

"So, uh, why are _you _here? Sorry, that sounded super creepy."

"No, no, its fine! I guess I didn't really have a specific reason for entering. It's the kind of thing not a lot of people get to experience, so I figured why not. I probably won't fall in love with the prince, or king now I suppose, but it will be a once in a lifetime experience."

"That makes a lot of sense actually," Joan laughed.

"Ya. What about you?"

"Oh, its kinda a long story. Basically, my grandfather made me enter."

Katherine looked up from the book she was reading, "That sounds interesting."

"Ha, I guess. He made me and my cousin enter for political gain. He threatened to disown her and make me the heir to the family business, and that would not end well for _anybody_."

"Wow, I just entered to make friends and maybe help the pri–king," Katherine laughed.

"Well, we all have our reasons. What matters is that we're here now." Joan turned away from the conversation for a moment to look out the window. They were just leaving the city, traveling up into the mountains that overlooked the city and ocean. The view was beautiful, even with the gray weather. She could hardly imagine what it would look like in a clear, sunny day.

After about fifteen minutes of driving into the mountains and away from the city, forest opened and Joan's eyes locked on the magnificent palace. It rose above the forest, almost as if it was a part of the mountain itself. The towers and turrets poked into the clouds, causing it to look like a castle out of a fairy tale. After only a moment, it disappeared behind the trees again, but before long the limousine pulled out of the forest and onto the palace grounds. All three girls clamour over to the window to watch in awe as they pulled up to the large front doors behind the other limousines.

Once they came to a stop, the driver came around to their door and offered his hand to help them climb out. All three were silent as they stepped out of the limousine to join the rest of the Selected. They were all gathered in front of the doors, and once the last girls and boys had joined them, the doors were pulled open and they were led into the grand entrance hall. It was some of the most beautiful architecture Joan had ever seen. Tall pillars lined the walls and ornate gold and marble details were everywhere. The ceiling was covered in a large, glass skylight. In front of them was a beautiful staircase, leading up and to the left and right. They all looked around in awe as they were led up the stairs. When they reached the landing, Evelyn instructed the ladies to follow her to the Women's Room, up the stairs to the left, and the men to follow the butler to the Men's Room, up the stairs to the right.

When Joan entered the Women's Room, she was immediately ushered over to a makeup and hair station, where three maids began teasing her hair and rubbing creams and ointments into her skin. They took off, barely asking her input. She was given a natural makeup look with a nude lip and a sleek bun at the nape of her neck. Almost before she could even blink, she was ushered out of the hair and makeup station and over to a clothing rack where she was told to choose a dress. She chose a black, strapless dress with a fuller, mid calf length tulle skirt. Once she chose a dress she was given a pair of black stilettos and told to go wait on for her interview.

She walked over to where some of the other girls were sitting and joined a group of them on a couch. She thanked a maid who gave her a glass of water before leaning back on the couch and closing her eyes with a sigh. What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

**Hello everyone! Sorry for the long wait, I have been busy with school and personal stuff and ffn was being difficult about posting. Anyway, here I am, back at last! I have another chapter almost done, so that should be out at some point in the near future. For now, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you have any questions, comments, constructive criticism, or ideas for how I could better portray your character, please do not hesitate to shoot me a PM here or on Discord!**


	8. House of Gold

Chapter 8: House of Gold

Mo Maldonado stood up from the chair and brushed off her skirt as the interviewer thanked her for her time and wished her luck in the Selection. She gave him an off handed thank you and moved away from the cameras and lights of the corner of the Women's Room that had been set up for interviews. She had been one of the last girls to be interviewed, so she did not have to wait long before they were all finished. Once everyone had gathered on the couches and chairs where they had waited before and after their interviews and Evelyn had finished talking with the camera men and reporters, she came to stand in front of them. She waited a moment as the last maids lined up behind her along the wall. Once everyone was quiet, she cleared her voice and began speaking.

"Congratulations to each and every one of you on completing your first interviews as Daughters of Illéa! You all did wonderful jobs, and I am exceedingly proud. Of course, in the coming weeks you will be trained on many things, one of which will be how to properly talk to media. Now that you are at the palace, your lives will constantly be filmed and photographed. The only people allowed inside the palace are the Royal Photographers and hand picked reporters who will never be permitted inside your private rooms, but beyond these walls, you will have little to no privacy. My staff and I will do all we can to preserve your privacy as much as possible, but there is only so much we can do. You must acclimate yourselves to a life in the spotlight. Everything you do, every date, every activity, everything is publicised. The Selection is just as much for the people as it is for you and His Majesty, in some ways it is even more for them. You are to treat all reporters and photographers within the palace walls with respect at all times and cooperate with them as they do their job.

"I will give you the information you will require for tonight, but all expectations and other information will be given tomorrow. You will have lessons every week day after breakfast from 9:00 to 12:00. Absence or tardiness will not be tolerated unless you are given explicit permission by myself or His Majesty. Tomorrow's lesson will consist of a tour of the castle, an explanation of your role as a Selected and the expectations as such, as well as other general information. All you need to know for today is that once we are finished here you will be escorted to your rooms which are in the same wing as the Women's Room, where we are now. Once you have been shown to your room you are free to make yourself comfortable and get to know the other Selected. However, you are not to leave this wing. You are to stay in your room or in the Women's Room. Once I have given you a tour tomorrow you will be allowed to freely roam with palace, with some exceptions of course, and intermingle with your male counterparts. For today, however, you are to stay in this wing. You will meet here no later than 6:45 when I will escort you to the dining hall for dinner where you will be joined by Her Highness Princess Katarina.

"Have I made myself clear? Are there any questions?" Evelyn stopped and scanned the room. She was about to begin speaking again when a tall, redheaded girl raised her hand.

"Yes?" Evelyn asked, motioning for the girl to speak.

"When will we meet King Nils?"

"You will meet His Majesty the day after tomorrow at the Welcome Banquet. Are there any other questions?" She paused, and another girl raised her hand.

"Where are the bathrooms?

Evelyn sighed and closed her eyes for a moment before answering, "You each have a bathroom in your rooms. Now, are there any other _serious _questions?" She waited another moment, "No? In that case, when I call your name your maids will take you to your room and help you settle in. Ruta Sepetys, Allens…Thomas Peck, Angeles…Avery Mozen, Atiln…Aaron Seaver, Baffin…"

Evelyn continued calling names, each time a girl would stand up and a set of maids would step forward and lead her out of the Women's Room and down the hall. After several minutes, Mo heard her name called. She stood up and followed her three maids out of the Women's Room. They took her down the hall quite a ways, finally stopping at a door on the left. They opened the door and stood aside to let Mo walk into her room. She stepped in and looked at the room, barely helping the smile that spread across her face. It was a beautiful, spacious room with lovely natural light and an airy feel. It was a simple room, with only a closet, a bookshelf, a desk, a door which presumably led to a bathroom, and a four poster bed next to the door. Despite the simplicity, it was a lovely room. And sitting in the corner was her small pile of bags with things from home.

"We'll help you unpack then help you pick something out to wear to dinner, ma'am."

Mo turned around to see her three maids standing in the door. The shorter, dark haired one had spoken.

"Thank you, that would be very nice."

...o0o...

Elaine Kingley put down the shirt she had been folding and looked over her shoulder at her maids, who were pulling out a few dresses for her to try for dinner tonight. She sighed; she was not at all used to all this help. If she were being honest, it made her a bit uncomfortable. She just wanted to have a few moments to herself. One of the maids, Ellen, looked over at her, causing Elaine to smile faintly and quickly look back to her hands in her lap.

"My Lady, if you are ready, we have a few dresses for you to try."

Elaine forced herself to smile before standing up, "Thank you, that would be lovely."

Elaine tried on several dresses before settling on a floor length dress made of several layers of embroidered, light pink chiffon. She liked it enough, it made her feel like a fairy princess, but it was so strange to be wearing such fancy clothing.

Once her maids had finished touching up her makeup and putting her hair into a long braid down her back, she still had an hour before she was supposed to meet the other female Selected in the Women's Room. She couldn't stand another minute in her room with the three maids waiting at her beck and call, so she decided to explore the castle. She politely excused herself and made her way down the hall in the opposite direction of the Women's Room. She remembered Evelyn's orders not to leave the Selected's wing, so she was careful not to stray too far.

After a few minutes she came to a large set of glass french doors that seemed to lead to the gardens. She tried the doors, but they seemed to be locked, so she studied the small portion of the gardens she could see through the doors before moving on. The hall was lined with identical white doors that she could only assume led to her fellow Selected's rooms. However, once she had been walking for awhile the hall started to change. The more modern, marble walls changed to dark wood as did the tile floors. She worried for a moment that she had strayed too far, but quickly pushed that thought from her mind. She hadn't taken any detours or anything, she was sure it would be fine.

Another thing that had changed about the hall was that there were no longer any doors on the left side of the wall. The right continued to have the occasional mahogany door, but the left wall was bare. That made the door she finally came to even more interesting. It stood out already, a plain wooden door opposed to the ornately decorated doors of the right side of the hall. Somehow she knew she was not supposed to open the door, but her curiosity overcame her. She reached out a hand and pushed open the door. She drew in a sharp breath when her eyes fell on what was on the other side of the door.

Through the plain, mahogany door was the largest, most beautiful library Elaine had ever seen. The room was dark, with just enough natural light peeking in through the tall, narrow windows to rear by. The walls were lined from floor to ceiling with shelves and shelves of books. There was even a second floor, a narrow hall running along the walls about halfway up. It was a beautiful room, from the dark wood paneling, to the cozy reading chairs in every corner. It was the perfect room for reading.

Elaine stepped into the room, letting her hand reach out and run along the seeming endless rows of books as she walked along the wall. She was so lost in thought she failed to notice the person sitting in one of the chairs until she nearly ran into him.

"Oh, oh, I'm so sorry!" She rushed to apologize as she stepped back from the armchair she had nearly tripped over.

"No worries, I should be going anyway,"

"No, no, I shouldn't even be here."

"I don't recognize you, are you…" his voice trailed off as he smiled, as if something had just cliched in his brain, "You must be one of the Selected. Evelyn said you would be arriving."

"Yes," Elaine said, looking down at her feet and blushing, "I'm Elaine. And you are?"

"Gunnar, nice to meet you," the boy said, reaching out a hand.

Elaine's eyes widened in horror, "Gunnar… Gunnar as in Prince Gunnar?"

"Yes, I suppose so." The boy smiled awkwardly, pulling his hand back when Elaine did not take it.

"Oh, oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! Um," Elaine curtsied, almost tripping over her dress in the process, "Uh, I've never met a prince before, Your Highness, please forgive me."

"Not to worry, it's your first day. How could you possibly have known?"

"I suppose…"

"Well, I better be going, it was wonderful to meet you Lady Elaine. I wish you the best of luck with my brother." He smiled at her once more before disappearing out the door.

Elaine sunk down into the seat he had been sitting in and put her hands over her face. What had she just done?

...o0o...

Aurora Reads looked over her outfit once more. She liked it, but it was different. The pale pink was not like anything she normally wore, but she was glad she had tried. It looked nice on her.

"My Lady? Is there anything else you need from us?"

Aurora turned around and smiled. "No, thank you, Charlotte."

"Alright, thank you, My Lady. Enjoy your evening, and we will see you when you return."

Aurora smiled and stepped out of her room and into the hall. She turned down the hallway and walked down to the Women's Room. When she arrived, most of the other girls seemed to be there already. She sat down with a group of girls, but no one really seemed to be interested in talking.

After a few minutes of waiting, Evelyn walked into the room.

"Ladies. You will now follow me to the dining hall. Remember, you are guests in His Majesty's home, so please be quiet and courteous as we walk through the halls. When we arrive in the dining hall, you are to find your seats; you each have a place at the table, so do not sit in the seat of another girl or boy.

"His Highness Prince Gunnar has decided to join us as well, and he and his sister will be sitting at the Royal Family's table. You are not to approach their table or make conversation with them unless they reach out to you. You have not yet begun your etiquette lessons, but please use your best manners and be on your best behavior. This is the Royal Family of Illéa. Now, follow me"

Evelyn led them out of the Women's Room and away from their rooms. When they came to an intersection, they met their male counterparts and continued down the winding halls of the palace together until they arrived at a tall pair of double doors. The doors were opened by a pair of footmen, and the Selected were led into the room.

It was a grand room, decorated with art and elaborate gold trimming. Huge, gold chandeliers hung from the ceiling, each one adorned with hundreds of burning candles. In front of them was a long table with seats for each of the selected, each with a name tag sitting on the plate. In front of the long table was a smaller table on a slightly raised platform. This table had chairs only on one side and each chair seemed to be different. Aurora could only assume each royal had their own specific spot at the table.

The Selected were ushered into the room and given a few moments to find their seats before they were instructed to take their seats. They sat, conversing amongst themselves for a few moments before the royal siblings arrived.

Suddenly, the doors on the opposite side of the room opened and the footman rapped his staff on the floor three times..

"Her Royal Highness, Princess Katarina of Illéa and Lady Claudia von Amsberg"

A few of the Selected, those who had been raised in high society, stood, followed quickly by the others. The doors opened and a regal looking woman walked in, accompanied by a taller, dark haired woman. They both nodded to the Selected before silently taking their places next to each other at the royal table. Once they had taken their seats, the doors opened again.

"His Royal Highness, Prince Gunnar of Illéa."

A tall, blond boy walked in and took his place next to his sister, not acknowledging the Selected as she had. The light haired, shorter woman, presumably Princess Katarina, stood and smiled at the Selected.

"Please, take your seats."

Once all the selected had sat down, she continued speaking, "It is my pleasure, as well as my brother's," she gestured to Gunnar, who was sitting next to her, "to welcome you to our home. We are thrilled to have you hear and hope to get to know as many of you as we can in the coming months. One of you, after all, will one day be our sister or brother-in-law. Now, please enjoy your first meal at the palace."

With that, the princess sat down and a smaller door, barely visible behind the royals, opened to let out a line of butlers and maids, all carrying platters of food.

* * *

**Hey all! Two chapters in less than five months?! What is this? I know, impressive. Anyway, I have another chapter ready so we'll see when that one goes up. **

**As always, let me know what you think, and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, drop a review or PM me here or on the Discord and I will get back to you ASAP!**


	9. Daydreaming

Chapter 9: Daydreaming

Kat closed the door behind her, looked down at her phone and scrolled through Spotify to find her workout playlist. She found the one she was looking for and hit shuffle. She could hear the faint sound of "Flower" by Moby playing through her earbuds. She started humming along, but before she could pop them in, she heard something from down the hall. Nils must have left his door open again. She shook her head; he would have to learn to close doors now that the Selected were here. She looked down at her watch and, deciding she had a few extra minutes, took a detour to check in on her older brother.

Nils's door was indeed open, and when she could see him pacing across the floor and talking to himself.

"They're here. They're here. They're here. They're here. They're–"

Kat sighed; she should have known. She knocked lightly on his door frame and stuck her head in.

Nils looked up, eyes falling on his sister. "Kat! They're here. They're here Kat, and I can't do this. I can't do this. They're here."

"Nils," Kat walked over to her pacing brother and put her hand on his shoulder, forcing him to stop, "Nils, calm down. Come sit down." She led him over to his bed and sat down, pulling him with her.

"I just– They're here now. It's happening, and I'm not ready," Nils sighed, putting his head in his hands.

"What happened? I know you were never exactly happy with this, but I thought you had come to terms with it…?"

"It's just all too much. The Selection, relations with Russia, the council, it's all just too much. I was never supposed to do this. Sigrid was supposed to do everything. I'm not supposed to be King. I can't be King. Who am I kidding? I can't do this, not without Sigrid or Mom or Dad. I'm alone."

"Nils, you aren't alone. You have me, and you have Gunnar, and you have Ian. We are all here, and we want to help. You just need to let us. Here, I was about to go practice for a while, do you want to come? Maybe a little one on one?"

Nils stood up abruptly, not looking at Kat. "You think, you can help? You think any of you can help? What can you do, Katarina? Do you know how to run a country? Do you know how to read a peace treaty or write a trade agreement? Do you know how to talk to foreign diplomats? Do you know how to command militaries and enforce laws? Do you know how to run a privy council meeting? Do you? Do any of you?"

Kat was silent, helpless. He was right. What did she know about running a country?

"Right," Nils whispered. He gave her a cold stare before turning away to walk out the door.

"Nils, I—"

He reeled on her. "What, Kat? You what? You suddenly remembered you know how to run a country?"

"No, but—"

"I didn't think so." He walked out of the room, not giving her a second glance.

Kat closed her eyes and fell back on the bed. She brought her hand up to her mouth and bit her lip, holding back tears. What had she expected? It wasn't like she actually knew what her brother was going through. She had no idea what it was like. But that didn't mean she didn't care. All she wanted to do was help. She just wanted him to talk to her. She wanted things to be how they used to be. She missed the way they used to talk. He used to tell her things. She wanted that back. She wanted her brother back. Wasn't it enough that she lost her parents and sister? Did she have to lose her brother as well?

She lay on the bed for a few more moments before sitting up, taking a deep breath, and brushing away the tears. She was done trying. She had been trying every day since the plane crash. She was there. She tried. She had done her part. If he wanted to bottle up his feelings and be miserable, let him.

...o0o...

Gunnar closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to focus on the paper he was reading. Another loud thunk came from below his window. He took another deep breath. This had been going on for nearly an hour. He turned the page, but before he could find his place, there was another thunk. He put down the cup of tea he had been holding and walked over to his window to see what on earth was going on.

He looked out the window to find Kat, a few stories down, kicking balls against the wall. He was going to kill her. She had an entire soccer field to herself; why did she have to practice against the wall? He turned away from the window and stormed out of his room and down the hall, almost running down a few maids in the process. He tried to calm down, but barely scratched the surface.

He stormed across the grounds, rage written across his face. He was going to murder her. She knew this was the time he took out of every day to read and get a bit of peace and quiet. She knew he had enough trouble concentrating without her making a racket below his window.

"Katarina Schreave, what on earth–" Gunnar stopped. Kat's cheeks were glistening with tears. Her fists were balled so tightly her knuckles were white. She was kicking the ball harder and with more passion than he had seen in a long time. "Kat…"

"Go away Gunnar," Kat said, not looking at him.

"Kat, what's going on?"

"I said go away."

"Kat."

"I SAID GO AWAY!" Kat turned to face him, tears streaming down her face, "Just leave me alone. I want to be alone." She fell to the ground, her face falling into her hands. Her small body was now jerking with her sobs.

"Oh Kitty," Gunnar sunk to the ground next to her, pulling his younger sister into his arms. "What happened? What's going on?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Kat said through her tears, turning her face into his chest.

"Kitty," Gunnar said, brushing his fingers through her hair, "tell me what happened."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes before she began speaking.

"It's Nils. He won't talk to me. And he screamed at me earlier today. For trying to help. He said I don't know anything, that I couldn't possibly know what he's going through. I know he's right, but that doesn't mean I can't help or that I don't care. He keeps saying he is so alone, but we are right here. I just want to help him. I want to help him, Gunnar. I just want to help. And he yelled at me. For wanting to help. What if we're losing him too, Gunnar? First Mama–"

"Kitty, stop. You aren't losing Nils."

"But–"

"You aren't. I promise. He loves you. So much. Don't ever forget that. And he knows you want to help, but he's right. We don't know what it's like. Very few people could. That doesn't mean we can't help him, but we can't pretend we know what he is going through. He just needs space. He needs time to grieve. No one is giving him time to grieve. Give him some time and I'm sure he will come around. He's going to need his sister once all these pining girls get to him."

Kat laughed, brushing away the last of her tears. She stood up and stretched her hand down to Gunnar. "Come practice with me."

"Kat…" Gunnar hadn't played with his sister in years. Usually it was Ian who played with her, or even some of the guards when they were off duty.

"Come on, I need someone to practice with, and Ian isn't here. Besides, I have to go address the Selected in an hour, so it won't be that long anyway."

"Fine, but only for a little," Gunnar said, rolling his eyes.

...o0o...

Lugia stopped outside the Yellow Room and stood in front of one of the many tall mirrors that lined the long hall. She looked at herself, immaculate hair and makeup done by her lovely maids and a beautiful dusty pink dress. She had never felt so beautiful! Her fingers ran along her arms, goosebumps rising as her thoughts drifted, for the millionth time since she had arrived at the palace the day before, to how much her life had changed since a few weeks ago when she entered the Selection. Now here she was, standing in the Royal Palace of Illéa. She still couldn't believe it.

Lugia was pulled from her thoughts by the soft clicking of a door closing. She looked up to see another girl walking down the hall towards the women's room. Lugia wracked her brain for the girl's name. She knew she had heard it before, she just couldn't put her finger on what it was. Maybe something with a "K"? Before she could figure it out the girl smiled and walked over to her.

"Hi, I'm Katherine. Lugia, right?"

Katherine, that's right. "Ya, Lugia."

"Are you going to go in?" Katherine gestured to the open doors of the Yellow Room.

"Oh, ya. I was just looking in the mirror. None of this feels real yet."

"I know what you mean. I can't get used to the fact that we have maids."

"I know, but I kind of like it. It really makes you feel like a princess."

Katherine laughed, "I guess so."

"We should probably go in. I don't know much about Evelyn yet, but the one thing I know is that I don't want to get on her bad side."  
"Hear, hear to that!"

The girls walked in, meeting a room full of chattering girls and boys. They were spread out across the airy, sunlit room, the pale yellow accents true to its name. Some sat around tables talking, a few stood awkwardly by the windows, and others congregated along the back wall where there was a long table of food. They all seemed to be avoiding the rows of chairs towards the front of the room. No doubt that would be where they had their first lesson.

Lugia and Katherine started towards the back of the room, hoping to get a glass of water or a bit of food before the lesson started, but before they could, the doors to the Yellow Room shut loudly and the room fell silent. The distinct sound of heels on hardwood floor was the only sound, deafening in the silent room. All the girls turned to see Evelyn Pruitt standing in front of the rows of chairs.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Please take a seat."

All the selected scrambled to find sit down, most choosing a spot next to the one or two fellow Selected they had chosen as their first friends. Katherine and Lugia followed suit, taking seats towards the middle of the second row. Lugia smiled at the Selected on her left, a shorter girl with dark hair. She smiled back and started to say something, but Evelyn cut her off.

"Now that you have all taken your seats, we have a special guest before we begin our lesson today." Evelyn gestured to the two pages standing alert at the doors.

Lugia craned her neck to see them open the two tall doors.

The one on the left brought his staff down and stated clearly, "Her Royal Highness, Princess Katarina of Illéa"

The princess walked through the doors, holding her head high, just as regal as the night before. Lugia stood with the rest of the Selected, seeing Evelyn give a cold glare to the few Selected who took a moment longer to catch on. Luckily, Lugia knew what she was doing.

Princess Katarina walked to the front of the room, smiling politely to Evelyn, who bowed her head in respect. Once she had taken her place next to Evelyn, she turned to the Selected and put out her hand, indicating they could take their seats. She waited a moment to let them get settled before speaking.

"I would like to extend my warmest welcome to each and every one of you. I know I said it last night, but my siblings and I are so looking forward to getting to know all of you in the coming months. We hope you will be comfortable and happy here. Please do not hesitate to come Evelyn or myself if you have any needs or concerns. We want you to feel as at home as possible. After all, one of you will one day call this palace home." Katerina paused for a moment, smiling to herself, "I know today is your first day of lessons, and I do not wish to take up your time, but there are a few things I wanted to make you aware of. Firstly, as some of you may know, there are several events that will take place over the course of the Selection. The first of these events is the Welcome Banquet, which will take place tomorrow night. This will be your first opportunity to meet His Majesty, King Nils."

Lugia noticed Princess Katerina falter there, only for a moment. She supposed it must be strange to refer to her brother as the King.

"Second, I want you all to know that my door, as well as my brothers' are always open. You can find our offices on the first floor of the East Wing. Be respectful of course, but we are happy to help with most things. If you have questions about anything or simply wish to talk, we are there. There are, however, parts of the palace, such as our private chambers, you will not be permitted to enter. I am sure Evelyn will go over all of that with you today. Finally, I wish to remind you that my brother is now the King. Selections are usually held before the Prince or Princess ascends to the throne, so there will be some things about this Selection that are a bit unorthodox. I only wish to remind you that he is human as well and will likely make mistakes along the way. Please do not be too hard on him. With that I will let Evelyn continue with the lesson; I am sure you have a lot to cover today. Thank you for your time."

The princess nodded to the Selected before politely leaving the room. Lugia looked after, letting the fact that the Princess of Illéa had told them they could pop into her office whenever sink in. Her joy didn't last long though. Before her mind could wander too far, Evelyn began speaking again.

"Like the Princess said, we have a lot to cover today, but first I need to address one thing. While the Princess extended a generous offer of open office doors, you are never to take advantage of it. You will visit her and her siblings only when necessary, and always come to me first. If I hear you are bothering any member of the Royal Family, there will be serious consequences. Have I made myself clear?"

Lugia's smile fell from her face, but she quickly nodded along with the rest of the Selected.

"Good. Now, we will begin our tour of the palace in a few minutes. Before we do so, I will give you a quick overview. The wing we are currently in, the West Wing, is where you will spend most of your time. Your rooms are on the second floor, and the Women's Room, Men's Room, and this room are all here on the first floor. There is also access to one of the galleries, the courtyard, and the gardens. Aside from meals, unless accompanied by myself or a member of the Royal Family, you should have few reasons to stray from this wing. The North Wing is where the Entrance Hall, ballrooms, and Dining Hall are located, as well as the North Library. The East Wing is where the Royal Family resides. Their offices are on the first floor, as well as their private library. Their private chambers are located on the second and third floors, as well as their private parlors. You are never to enter either floor without explicit permission from His Majesty. If you are found there without permission, or the King or myself hear you have been there, you will be eliminated immediately. Understood?"

They all nodded.

"Good. The South Wing is reserved for governmental and diplomatic purposes. Privy Council meetings as well as meetings with foreign ambassadors and royals are held there. Foreign visitors are also housed in the South Wing. You should rarely need to visit the South Wing. Now, you are free to visit the gardens and grounds as you please, so long as you are respectful at all times. Please mind the timing of your visits. If the Princess is practicing on the soccer fields, you would do well to use them another time. Likewise with the gardens.

"Now that all that has been explained, we will begin our tour. Please follow me."

**Hello all! I know it's been a hot minute, but we're back!**


	10. Little Lion Man

Chapter 10: Little Lion Man

Looked in the mirror once more, straightening his black tie for the fiftieth time. His hands shook, no matter how hard he tried to keep them still. He sighed, dropped his tie, and looked himself up and down once more. His eyes fell on the picture of Sigrid on his desk. She was smiling, laughing at something Kat, the one who had taken the photo, had said. He felt tears prickling in his eyes and a lump growing in his throat. No. He couldn't cry. Not tonight. He closed his eyes for a moment, but opened them a moment later. He couldn't close his eyes. If he did, the memories would be too strong, and he would cry. He couldn't do that.

Nils took one last deep breath and turned towards the door. Before he could have second thoughts, he strode out the door, reminding himself to close the door behind him.

The hall was empty, and no noise came from Kat or Gunnar's room. They must already be downstairs. He slowly began walking down the hall towards the ballroom. This was it. He would finally meet his Selected. One of whom would one day be his Prince Consort or Queen. His heart began to race again, and he made himself push those thoughts out of his head. It would be fine. They were just people.

When he got to the Grand Hall, he stopped. Kat, Claudia, Gunnar, and Ian were all standing at the end of the hall, just outside the doors of the ballroom. He took a deep breath and walked down the hall to greet them.

Claudia, whose arm was around Kat's waist, was the first to see him. "Nils, it's good to see you."

"You as well, Claudia. It's been awhile, I hope you are well."

"Very well, thank you." Claudia smiled before turning back to Kat, who smiled at Nils before turning her attention back to her girlfriend.

Nils smiled to himself and felt a strong hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Ian smiling solemnly at him, Gunnar at his side.

"Are you ready for this?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Nils sighed, smiling weakly at his older brother.

"Alright then," Ian nodded to the page who was standing at the door and caught Kat's eye, signaling her to get ready.

The tall mahogany doors were opened and the page began announcing them.

"Duke Ian Schreave of Angeles."

Ian squeezed Nils's shoulder once more before walking into the ballroom.

"Her Royal Highness, Princess Katrina of Illéa and Lady Claudia von Amsberg."

Kat shot a smile at Nils before following Ian into the ballroom.

"His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Gunnar of Illéa."

Nils looked down at his hands, forcing them down to his sides, and took one last deep breath before the page spoke.

"His Majesty, King Nils of Illéa."

Nils stepped into the ballroom, taking his place beside his siblings. 35 eager eyes stared up at him, each belonging to someone hoping to win his heart. His heart raced. He couldn't do this. Not on his own. Not without Sigrid. He was never supposed to do this. He was never supposed to have a Selection. How could he do this? He couldn't. He-

Gunnar squeezed his hand, bringing him back to the moment at hand. He heard his brother whisper to him.

"You can do this."

Gunnar was right. He could do this.

"Good evening. It is my honor to welcome you to the palace. This evening I will have the pleasure of meeting each and every one of you, but, until then, I urge you to eat, drink, and get to know one another. Please, enjoy yourselves." Nils nodded, indicating they could go back to mingling, and chatter slowly began again.

Nils turned to his siblings and gave them one last smile before they dispersed. Kat and Claudia walked, hand in hand, over to talk to a few young men standing by the refreshments, Gunnar walked over to say hello to a large group standing in the middle of the room, and Ian went to talk to some girls standing in the corner of the room.

Nils bobbed on the balls of his feet a few times, tugged on his fingers, and made his way over to a girl sitting alone at one of the few tables spread around the room. Most of the others were filled with chattery young men and women, but this girl sat alone.

When she saw him walking over, she stood up, brushing some non-existent crumbs off her white dress. She curtsied, a little awkwardly, but it was good for someone who had never curtsied in her life.

"Your Majesty, it is an honor."

"Please, call me Nils. And the honor is mine." He extended a hand, taking hers in his. He brought it to his lips, smiling ever so slightly at the blush it brought to her cheeks. "May I ask your name?"

"Clara. My name is Clara."

"Well, Clara, you look beautiful."

"Thank you, Your...Nils, but I can't take any credit. It was all my maids."

"In that case, give them my praise. However, take credit where credit is due. You are a beautiful young woman."

"Thank you…"

Nils smiled, a real smile this time, as he saw her blush growing. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.

"Well, this has been a pleasure, but I have several other Selected to meet tonight. I look forward to getting to know you, Lady Clara." He kissed her hand once more before letting it go and bowing his head before turning away to find the next Selected.

It turned out not to be that hard, standing right behind him was a smiling young woman.

"Hello, Your Majesty!"

"Uh...Nils, please, just Nils. And you are?"

"Lugia Board."

"Well, Lugia, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Please, the pleasure is all mine. I am so excited to be here!"

Nils couldn't keep himself from smiling. "I'm glad to hear it. I hope you are settling in well?"

"Yes, of course! Everyone is so nice! It still doesn't feel real though, I can't believe I'm actually here!"

Nils was about to say he couldn't believe they were here either, but he stopped himself. "I hope you begin to feel at home in the next few days."

"I'm sure I will."

"Wonderful! Now, if you will excuse me, there are approximately 32 of you I have yet to meet."

"Of course! It was a pleasure to meet you." Lugia smiled and turned away to talk to a blonde girl holding two drinks.

Nils looked around the room, trying to find one of his siblings. Kat and Claudia were still talking to the group of boys. It was not lost on him that Kat had a glass of champagne in her hand. Gunnar seemed to have found one girl to talk to. Perhaps he could join them. And maybe send him on a mission to retrieve said glass of champagne.

"Gunnar, would you be so kind as to introduce me to this lovely lady?"

"Of course. This is Lady Elaine." Gunnar gestured to the pretty blonde girl standing next to him. "Lady Elaine, this is my brother, King Nils."

"Nils is fine, please. It is wonderful to meet you, Lady Elaine."

Elaine curtsied low, not looking him in the eye. "Thank you."

"How are you liking the palace so far?"

"It is beautiful, and all the staff are very nice. I also like the libraries." She said, still not looking at him.

Nils shifted on his feet, slightly uncomfortable. "I'm glad to hear it. Please do not hesitate to use any of them. I'm sure Gunnar would be glad to show you around."

Elaine blushed. "Yes, he is very kind."

"He certainly is. If you wouldn't mind, could I steal him away for a moment?"

"Of course, please do. I mean…"

"Thank you," Nils interjected, worrying he had made her uncomfortable. "I'll be sure not to keep him too long."

Nils and Gunnar walked a few feet away to stand next to one of the tall windows.

"Well? How are things going? Anyone standing out yet?"

"No one yet. Which is a good thing I suppose, no one has rubbed me the wrong way."

"That's good. What did you need?"

"I noticed our lovely sister somehow found herself a glass of champagne. I wondered if you might want to go… remedy that situation."

Gunnar craned his neck to see across the room, finding Kat in the crowd. "I see. I would be happy to. And good luck."

Nils nodded once, thanking his brother. He turned to look after him as he walked across the ballroom to their sister. She protested as he gently took the glass from her hand, causing Nils to smile to himself. She had always had a way of getting around the rules. He cleared his throat, bringing himself back to the task at hand. On to the next Selected.

His eyes landed on a girl in a bright red dress. She seemed to have just finished a conversation, smiling as she walked over to the table of refreshments. He strolled over to her, selecting a champagne flute for himself before grabbing a second one and holding it out to her.

"Why thank you," She said, smiling as she took the flute.

"My pleasure."

"Right. And you are?" She asked, completely innocent.

Nils was taken aback, not quite sure how to respond. This was certainly not something he had expected.

"I'm kidding, it's a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty."

Nils laughed, taking a sip of his drink before looking back at her. "I see we have a prankster on our hands. Does she have a name?"

"Lissette Maldonado, but you can call me Mo. All my friends do."

"Mo it is. Does that mean we are friends?"

"I suppose it does. But I doubt your friends call you 'King Nils.' Can I call you Nils?"

"Of course, we are friends after all."

"Indeed we are. It's nice to have a friend around here. Someone to ask for directions. This place is huge; how do you not get lost every day?"

"I suppose you just get used to it."

"I suppose so," Mo smiled, taking another sip of her champagne.

"Well, Mo, it has been wonderful to make a new friend, but I should be going."

"Of course, I don't want to keep you."

"I look forward to talking to you again."

Mo smiled and gave a slight wave as she walked away to talk to a few of the other Selected standing at the other end of the refreshments table.

This was getting easier. He had just made a friend! He had talked to four girls! That was an accomplishment! Now just 31 more to go. He could do this.

He scanned the room, looking for the next Selected to talk to. One girl stood out. She was tall, very tall, and had pale pink hair. That was interesting. Interesting hair probably is attached to interesting people, right? Only one way to find out.

Nils handed his champagne flute to a nearby footman and walked over to meet the pink-haired girl, who was looking out the window. She was wearing a pale gray dress, one that went perfectly with her hair. He would have to remind himself to give his compliments to the maids. They were truly talented.

"Hello," He said, moving to stand next to her.

She turned to him and smiled. "Hello, Your Majesty."

"Please, call me Nils. And you are?"

"Xiu," she said, turning back to look out the window.

"That's a beautiful name."

"Thank you." Xiu paused for a moment before turning back to face him. "Is it hard? Having us all here, I mean?"

Nils was taken aback. These girls certainly liked surprising him. He looked out the window, thinking for a moment.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep."

"No, no, don't worry." Nils looked back over at her. "It is hard. I never thought I would be doing this. Si—my sister… we always knew she would have a Selection. I just never thought it would be me."

Xiu was quiet for a moment. "That makes sense."

"I'm glad you're here though. It is hard, but I'm happy to have you all here," he smiled, looking her in the eye.

She smiled back before looking back out the window.

"That's good."

"Yes, well. I, uh, I should go. I look forward to seeing you again though, Lady Xiu."

"Likewise," she said, not looking back at him.

Nils smiled, looking down at his hands before taking his leave. This night was certainly not going the way he expected. He grabbed another champagne flute from a footman and walked over to the nearest Selected. She was a tall girl, not nearly as tall as Xiu, but still taller than many of the other Selected.

When she saw him looking at her, the girl walked over, smiling all the way.

"My lady," Nils said, bowing his head.

She curtsied in turn, looking back up at him with a bright smile. "Your Majesty, how wonderful to meet you."

"You as well, Lady…?"

"Aurora, Your Majesty."

"Please, call me Nils. Your dress is breathtaking."

It was a sky blue dress, with a boned bodice and full skirt. Delicate flowers over mesh covered her shoulders.

"Thank you, Nils. I agree. My maids are so talented!"

"Indeed they are. It seems we have a palace full of incredible seemstresses."

"It seems you do. It is a beautiful place by the way, especially the gardens."

"I'm glad you think so; I like to think it is. My mother… She loved the gardens. You could find her there most nights."

"I'm sure she was a wonderful woman," Aurora said, putting a hand on his arm.

"Yes, she was. She really was."

Aurora smiled.

"Enough of that, how are you enjoying the night?"

"Oh, it's splendid. All the Selected are so nice! I am excited to get to know them all."  
"As am I. You all seem like interesting people. Speaking of which, I hate to cut our time short, but I must be going."

"Of course, thank you for your time."

Nils smiled and nodded. He turned to find a girl standing behind him.

"Oh, hello." How does that happen twice?

"Hello, Your Majesty," the girl smiled, giving a little wave.

"Nils, please, and you are?"

"Katherine, Katherine Bower."

"Well, Katherine, it's nice to meet you. How has your evening been so far?"

"It's been really nice! The food is delicious, the people are nice, and I've made a few friends."

"That's great! I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. I'm looking for some friends myself, anyone you would recommend?"

"Well, Lugia is really nice. I just met Kesa, you should go say 'hi' to her." Katherine pointed to a tall girl standing at one of the tall tables. She seemed to be alone, drinking a glass of red wine.

"I did meet Lugia, she certainly seems fun. I'll have to meet...Kesa you said?"

"Yes, she is wonderful."

"Great, thank you." Nils nodded his thanks to Katherine and walked over to say hello to Kesa.

She looked up as he got to the table, putting down her wine glass.

"Lady Kesa, isn't it?"

"Yes, nice to meet you."

"Likewise. How is the wine?

"It tastes fine to me, not that I would know the good from the bad," she laughed a bit, putting him at ease.

"I may be a king, but I certainly know what you mean. If you want someone who knows wine, you should talk to my brother, Gunnar. I think he knows wine better than our butler."

"I'll keep that in mind. If I ever need a wine connoisseur, that is."

"Please do, I can't stand to hear anymore about the differences between a merlot and a cabernet."

They both laughed.

"Well, Kesa, it has been great meeting you. I hope to talk with you more in the coming weeks."

Nils gave her one last smile and turned back to the ballroom. He was about to go see if he could find Ian or Kat when his eyes fell on a girl leaning against one of the windows, casually holding a shot glass in her hand. While most of the girls wore brightly colored dresses, this girl was wearing an elegant ebony gown. The bodice clung to her body beautifully and the tulle skirt flared out just enough. She looked breathtaking.

"What was in the glass?"

She looked up, seemingly surprised to see him, "Oh, uh, vodka. Everyone else seems to prefer the champagne, but I could use something stronger."

Nils leaned up against the window next to her and looked over. "I know the feeling. I've been considering it myself."

"Vodka not regal enough for a king?"

"I suppose not. It's a shame, really."

She looked over at him and pushed herself off the window. "Here, I'll go get you one."

"Really?"

"Of course. What's your poison?"

"I'd actually go for a vodka too, now that you mention it."

"Two vodkas it is. I'll be right back."

Nils smiled after her. He liked this one. He turned around to look out the window. It was dark, dark enough that, besides the faint lights of the city below, all he could see was his own reflection. He looked at himself, really looked at himself, something he hadn't done since the accident. Sure, he had looked in mirrors a million times, but he had never been able to bring himself to look himself in the eyes. Because they weren't just his eyes. They were her eyes too. He couldn't look at them without seeing her.

"Hey, you okay?"

Nils looked up, pulled out of his thoughts. He turned around and saw the beautiful girl standing in front of him, this time holding two shot glasses.

"Ya, I'm good."

She leaned up against the window next to him and handed him one of the shot glasses she was holding.

"Here, follow me."

She looked a little confused, but followed him anyway. He took them along the perimeter of the room to a simple glass door that led outside.

"Can't have the media see me throwing back shots, can we?"

"I suppose not."

She followed him outside, smiling.

They sat on the ground, just outside the door. Nils leaned his head back against the cool wall, breathing in the cold night air.

"To defying expectations."

Nils looked over at the girl, who had her shot glass raised. He smiled. "Here, here." He threw back the shot, wincing as it burned on the way down. "So, does the beautiful vodka-drinker have a name?"

She looked at him, seemingly considering her answer. She looked down at the shot glass in her hands before looking back up at him and answering. "Joan."

"Joan. What a pretty name."

"Nils isn't so bad either."

Nils smiled. Nils. Just Nils.

They were both startled by a rapping on the window. Kat was standing above them, looking furious.

"Shit. I have to go. I have other Selected to talk to." Nils stood up quickly, stretching out a hand to Joan.

"Right, right. I'm so sorry for taking up so much of your time."

"No, no, please, don't apologize."

Joan smiled. "Okay then."

"Right, well, I have to go." Nils smiled awkwardly and ducked back into the ballroom.

"What do you think you were doing?" Kat hissed, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the side as soon as he stepped into the room. "You have other Selected you know!"

"I know, I know."

"You can't just go off with one girl, Nils."

"I said, I know." Nils shot her a glare.

Kat sighed, rolled her eyes, and turned on her heel to find her girlfriend, clearly fed up with her older brother.

Nils looked back over his shoulder at Joan, who had wandered off to find some other Selected to talk to. Maybe the Selection wouldn't be so bad after all.

**Chapter 10! Nils finally got to meet the lovely Selected! I love all of them, and I am really excited to write their stories. Also, the drinking age is 18, so everyone is legal.**


	11. Little Talks

Chapter 11: Little Talks

"_Sigrid." Nils didn't look up from the sketch he was working on, but he could hear his sister's breath behind him._

"Va_?"_

"_I know you're there." He still didn't look up, focusing instead on the vase of flowers sitting on the desk in front of him._

"_So?" She rested her chin on his shoulder, her hair tickling his neck._

"_Are you going to leave me alone?"_

"Nej_. I need to talk to you." She stood and walked over to lounge on his couch._

_Nils sighed and put down his pencil, turning on his stool to face her. When she didn't say anything, he raised his eyebrows at her. "Well?"_

"_It's Dad."_

"_What else is new? It's always Dad."_

"_Okay, but this time it's really bad," Sigrid said, sitting up straight._

"_Are you going to tell me…?"_

"_He's making me have a Selection, Nils."_

"_Um…I know? You know? You've known for a month?" _

"_No. He's making me have a Selection_ now."

_That caught Nils's attention. He leaned forward on his elbows. "Wait what? He's making you do it now? Why? I thought you weren't going to have it for at least another year."_

"_So did I! After the engagement with Sachin fell through, he said he would give me a year to figure things out. Apparently the Privy Council doesn't agree with that decision."_

"_So what? He is King, it's not up to them."_

"_You know as well as I do that's not how it works."_

"_Okay, but still. There's nothing he can do?"_

_Sigrid sighed, laying back on the couch. "Apparently not."_

"_Sigrid, I'm so sorry." Nils stood up, walking over to sit next to his twin. "You were supposed to have time to travel, live your life for a while."_

"_I know! I was supposed to go to Italy and Greece and Turkey. I was supposed to have one year where I wasn't the heir apparent. Just one. But no, now I have to do the one thing I dread about being the Crown Princess. I have to have a fucking Selection. Who decided the Selection was a good idea? How are you supposed to find someone who would make a good ruler in a group of random people? Let alone find love. Not that love has ever been an option."_

"_Sigrid. Don't say that. You know people find love in Selections."_

"_Ya. People do. Not me."_

...o0o...

Joan slowed to a walk as she arrived back at the etched glass doors that led back into the palace. She smiled and nodded her greeting to the guard who opened the door, humming along with Brendon Urie. She considered stopping in to see if anyone was in the Yellow Room or the Women's room but decided against it. They would all be down there for the first official elimination in an hour anyway. She did bump into a few Selected on the way up to her room, all friendly but none enough so to stop and chat. No doubt she would get to know them well enough in the coming weeks. If she made it past the elimination, that is.

Her maids were gone when she got back to her room, but there was a towel and bathrobe hanging on the bathroom door for her. She disconnected her earbuds and rifled through the bag she had brought to find her speaker. Vader, her cat, was sitting on her bed, so she tossed him a treat before heading into her bathroom.

Once she had turned on some good old fashioned _Panic! at the Disco,_ she stepped into the hot shower. The water felt good on her face, her thoughts drifting to the night before. Nils had surprised her. She had been so sure she wouldn't like him. This was, after all, never her idea. She had never wanted to join the Selection. But here she was, letting the idea grow on her. He had been nice. He had been fun, more so than she would have expected. They all were. The royal family, the other Selected, they were all so much more fun than she had expected. Somewhere, deep down, there was a part of her that hoped her name would not be on the list of those to be eliminated today.

As she was putting her hair up in a towel to dry, Joan could hear the quiet voices of her maids getting her outfit ready for the elimination. They must have come in while she was in the shower. She brushed her teeth, put on some moisturizer, and pulled on the bathrobe before heading out of the bathroom to greet her maids.

"Beth, Lily, good morning."

Her two maids looked up from the dress they were laying out on her bed.

"Good morning, My Lady," Lily said, curtsying before pulling out the chair at Joan's vanity for her to sit down. "I hope you enjoyed your run?"

Joan sat down, letting Beth pull the towel off her damp hair. "Yes, it was nice to get some fresh air. Especially today."

"Don't worry, my lady," Lily smiled, "I'm sure the prince loved you."

Joan didn't answer, just flashed a quick smile to the maid. She closed her eyes, letting them tease and tug her hair into a bun on top of her head. Her thoughts drifted again to the night before, sitting outside the ballroom with Nils. No. She didn't want to be here. She was just here to appease her grandfather. She was here so she could continue to follow her own dream, not become a princess.

Beth pulled her from her thoughts, putting a finger under her chin to lift her face so she could do Joan's makeup. The soft feeling of brushes and blenders moving across her face relaxed Joan, bringing her back to the present. It was out of her control now. Whatever happened would happen, and that was that.

Once her hair and makeup was done, her maids helped her into her black chemise and sheer dress. She picked out a simple necklace and pair of earrings. Just before she left her room, she slipped on a pair of black heels and waved goodbye to Lily and Beth.

The hall outside her room was mostly empty, she was a bit early, but a few other girls were making their way down to the Yellow Room. Many of them seemed nervous, but a few seemed indifferent, closer to how Joan felt. She waved to them, smiled too, but, again, didn't stop to chat. She was early, there would be time to talk in the Yellow Room.

Only a few girls were in the Yellow Room when Joan arrived, and it seemed all the boys were still getting ready. She recognized Xiu Li, the girl with pale pink hair, from the night before. She had meant to introduce herself, but had never gotten around to it. She grabbed a glass of water and an orange from the refreshments table at the back before heading over to the table Xiu was sitting at.

"Hey, I'm Joan. Mind if I sit with you?"

"Ya, of course. I'm Xiu, by the way"

Joan pulled out a chair, taking a seat across the table from Xiu. "Ya, I remember you from last night. I meant to introduce myself. I love your hair!"

"Oh, thanks. Usually people don't really like it."

"No, it's awesome. I've dyed my hair a lot. Guess I'm just feeling the black right now. Although, you're kind of making me miss the bright colors."

"I know the feeling. At this point I just kind of feel naked without it."

"Ya. Well, what do you think of all of this so far?" Joan gestured around her at the giant parlor and all the Selected who were starting to trickle in.

"It's all pretty crazy. Lots of people to people watch though."

"I completely agree. It's like my whole life was turned upside down overnight."

Xiu was about to say something, but the telltale sounds of the doors closing, conversations stopping, and heels on the hardwood floor meant things were about to begin.

They moved to the rows of chairs at the front of the room, the same ones they sat in for lessons the past few days, and waited for Evelyn to begin.

"Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen. I hope you all slept well after last night's banquet. As you know, today is the first official elimination. The staff has already been made aware of those who will be eliminated, and they are packing your things now. You will have the rest of the day to get your things in order; flights will leave in the late evening. I ask that once His Majesty is finished, those who will be staying make your way to either the Men's or Women's rooms. We will be conducting our lessons separately today."

Once Evelyn had finished, she nodded to the page standing at the door.

"His Majesty, King Nils of Illéa."

The doors opened, and Nils, tall and regal in his black suit, strode into the room. He cleared his throat before looking out at his Selected and speaking.

"Good morning to all of you. I hope you are well. Before we begin, I would like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed meeting each and every one of you last night. You are all incredible people, and I know you will go on to do great things, whether they be here, at the palace, or far and wide across the world. I truly thank you for choosing to take a chance on me, and it pains me to part with some of you so soon. However, it must be done. Please know that I do not think any less of you if I eliminate you. It is not a statement on your character, simply the fact that I don't see a future with you. Some people don't click.

"With that, we will begin. If I call your name, please come stand with Ben, our footman. Once we are finished and those who are staying have left, you will each receive a gift as a show of my gratitude." He paused, cleared his throat again, and began reading names off a slip of paper in his hand. "Caroline Montgomery."

A tall girl with bright red hair stood and walked across the room to the footman, holding her head high.

"Jared O'Hare… Sage Briggs… Reagan Miller… Andrew Mattingly… Sarah Allen… Molly Scoggin… Stuart Rinehart… Iris Williams… and Bonnie Woods."

All those who had heard their name called now stood in a line next to the footman. Some looked unphased, clearly feeling the same way Nils had, while others were clearly holding back tears. Joan felt for them. She was sure many who entered the Selection truly hoped for a fairytale love story. However, there was a part of her that was glad. Her name had not been called. Somehow, despite the circumstances, that small fact brought her joy. She would not be going home, at least not yet.

Nils said a few final words of thanks before nodding to Evelyn, who stood and took his place.

"Those of you who were not called, please proceed to the Men's Room or Women's Room, your lessons, taught today by Their Highnesses, Prince Gunnar and Princess Katarina, will begin shortly."

"Well, I suppose we live to see another day," Xiu said, walking with Joan towards the door.

"I suppose so," Joan laughed.

They made their way to the Women's Room, a room Joan had not spent much time in since she arrived at the palace. It was an airy room, but like the Yellow Room, but seemingly cozier. There were couches and lounge chairs spread around and, today, a row of chairs facing the left wall.

Princess Katarina was already standing in front of the chairs, rifling a stack of papers. Joan had to remind herself to talk to her later, she really wanted to get to know her.

"Please, come in and take a seat. We will begin in a moment."

Joan and Xiu sat down, taking two chairs on the end of the front row.

The rest of the girls who remained filtered in and took their seats, chatting with the people next to them.

"Alright, let's begin. Today we will be discussing what your role will be if you become Queen. Of course, this will just be the basics. If you make it to the Elite, you will be given a much more in depth explanation. Until then, this will be enough." The princess began writing on the board in front of them, and one of the footmen handed out stacks of paper to each Selected.

Joan was about to look through the pile of papers when the now familiar sound of a page's staff on the floor echoed through the room.

"His Majesty, King Nils."

Joan looked up, as did the rest of the room. None of them had expected to see the king again that day.

He walked across the room quickly, shooting the girls a quick smile. He whispered something in his sister's ear, causing her to give him a quizzical look. Nonetheless, she nodded and turned to the girls.

"Joan Son?"

Joan shifted in her seat and raised her hand.

"Please follow my brother."

Joan was confused. What did Nils want with her? Nevertheless, she stood and walked over to him. He gave her a genuine smile. He began walking out of the room, and Joan looked back over her shoulder ad Xiu before following him. As she left the room, she could hear all the other girls whispering, wondering what was going on. Joan was just as curious.

Nils led her down the hall a bit, stopping at a window seat just past the Men's Room. He sat down, indicating for her to do the same.

Joan sat, still confused as to what she was doing there.

"Joan, it's good to see you again."

"Um, you too? What is going on?"

Nils smiled, looking down at his hands. "Joan, I really enjoyed the brief time we had together last night."

"Oh. So did I. It was nice to have a drinking buddy," Joan laughed, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"Well, I was wondering if you would like to spend some more time together. Maybe sans the alcohol this time. Unless, of course, you want to go get drinks or something."

"Nils, are you asking me on a date?" Joan looked him in the eye, serious now.

"Ya, I guess I am."

"Okay."

"'Okay,' you want to?" Nils asked, sounding a bit nervous.

"Yes, yes, I would love to."

Nils's face lit up, something Joan found quite endearing. "Perfect. Does, uh, does Wednesday sound okay?"

"Wednesday sounds perfect. What, may I ask, will we be doing?"

"For that, you'll just have to wait and see."

Joan laughed, "I suppose that's fair enough."

Nils stood, extending a hand to help Joan up. "I have some business to attend to, but it has been a pleasure." He brought her hand to his lips, not breaking eye contact.

Despite her efforts, she blushed. "Of course. I should probably be going too. Princess lessons and all." Joan gestured back towards the Women's Room.

He dropped her hand, smiled one last time, and turned away.

Joan watched him go, running her fingers over the place he had kissed her hand. She looked down at her feet, thinking about what had just happened. She was the first date. She, Joan Son, was the first date in Nils's Selection. Who would have guessed?

**For those of you asking, Gunnar is the Crown Prince because he is the heir apparent. If Nils died, Gunnar would be King. If Nils had a child, that child would be Crown Prince or Princess, but, until that happens, Gunnar is the Crown Prince. I know this isn't how it works in our world, but this is what I believe would make sense in Illéa. This is fiction, after all, not real life! Sorry for any confusion that caused!**


	12. Don't Start Now

Chapter 12: Don't Start Now

Kat fiddled with the clasp of her bracelet, trying to get it to fit. Still no luck, so she dropped it back onto her vanity. It was one of her favorites too; Sigrid had brought it back from her honeymoon in Italy.

"Jess?" She called, craning her neck to see into the bathroom, where Jess, her head maid, was putting away fresh towels.

Jess turned and came out of the bathroom, curtsying slightly at the door. "Yes?"

"Would you please send this bracelet to the jeweler, the clasp is broken. And put a rush on it, it is one of my favorites." Kat gestured to the bracelet with her elbow; her hands were occupied with the earrings she was putting in.

"Of course. Peterson?" Jess asked, referring to one of the royal jewelers.

"Yes, Peterson is fine," Kat nodded.

She stood up, took one last look in the mirror, and turned to leave her room. She was meeting Claud for a late lunch in a few hours and wanted to make sure she looked her best. It had been awhile since they had had real time to themselves. The last time they had had a real date was their anniversary, which had been weeks ago. Kat had been so preoccupied with the Selection and Nils, and Claude was busy with her own life. She had college applications to submit, exams to study for, all those things Kat had once been preparing for as well. Now, with Nils being King, the Selection, and everything else going on, Kat didn't know if she would be able to do those things. She could hardly disappear in the middle of the Selection, and who knew when it would be over. Maybe it would only be a few months, but there had been Selections that had taken years. Kat hated it. Nils might be the one hosting the Selection, but it trapped her just as much as it did him.

Kat shook out her body, pushing away those thoughts. That wasn't what she needed. She had a date with Clalude, and that was all that mattered. It was a good day, a happy day. She straightened her shoulders and walked out of her room. She had a few things she needed to do before her date, and she did not want them to take longer than they absolutely had to.

"Kat!" Someone called from behind her.

She turned to see Ian coming down the hall.

"Ian."

"Ooooh nice dress! Someone got a date?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Kat turned on her heel; she did not need teasing.

"You look pretty nice for a day of meetings," He said, following her down the hall.

Kat stopped and looked at the ceiling, mock confused. "Hmmm, I'm trying to remember when I asked for your opinion. Oh right! I didn't."

"Ya, well, that's the beauty of being an older brother. It doesn't matter whether or not you asked, I get to give it anyway."

"Oh really? Says who?"

"Uh…God? The creator of older brothers."

"Ian," Kat said, rolling her eyes. "You are an atheist."

"So?"

"So you don't believe in God."

"_That _is besides the point."

"Whatever." Kat rolled her eyes again.

"Okay, but seriously." Ian stopped. He grabbed her arm, trying to get her to stop too. She sighed, but turned to look back at him.

"What?"

"Where's the date? I know it's been awhile since you and Claude had a real date."

"I don't know. We're having lunch, but, other than that, it's all Claude."

"Well, I'm sure it will be perfect."

"Ya, I hope so. I just don't want the Selection to ruin this relationship too."

"Kat, the Selection is not ruining all your relationships. Yes, it's hard on all of us, but we're still a family."

"Ya, a broken, fucked up family," Kat said, her voice raising a bit. "Sorry."

"It's fine. I know what you mean. But we're all together. We all love each other, we do. That's what matters. No matter what, you are my sister, and I will always love you."

Kat smiled. "Ya."

"Okay, I hope you have a wonderful date, but I need to find Nils. Have you seen him? He's not in his room."

Kat rolled her eyes. She was still mad at Nils. Maybe not mad exactly, just tired. Tired of putting in all the effort. She was done being mad. She had been mad. She had been furious. At this point, she was just fed up. It was an endless cycle. She tried to help, he got mad at her. She, somehow, ended up being the one forgiving him, then, a few days later, it would happen again. She was done. She had been done for a while now. She had given him a second chance. And a third. And a fourth. She was done. If he wanted to make things right, that was up to him. Kat was done. "No, I haven't seen him."

"Okay, let me know if you do."

"Ya," Kat sighed.

"Thanks," Ian said, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Love you."

"Love you too."

...o0o...

Nils poked his head into the kitchen, hoping it wouldn't be too busy. Breakfast had been over an hour ago, so most of the footmen and kitchen maids should be done. Thankfully, he was right. The kitchen appeared to be empty. He slipped in, closing the door behind him quietly. It would be better if the kitchen _stayed _empty. He took a moment to look around; it had been awhile since he had been in the palace kitchens. He scanned the room for something like a basket or bag to put the food in. He spotted a basket across the room. It was a bit small, but it would do.

He grabbed the basket and lined it with a napkin. Now for the food. What kind of food does one bring on a first date picnic? Fruit? Sandwitches? Pretzels? Cookies? What if Joan was vegetarian? Or allergic to something? He mentally slapped himself for not asking her when he asked her out. How was he supposed to know what she liked? What do girls even like to eat? He briefly considered calling Kat down to help him but thought better of it. They were not exactly on speaking terms. That was a problem for another day, though. He had a date he needed to get ready for.

He reached into his back pocket, knowing who he could call. Kat would probably kill him, but he could deal with that later. He dialed the number and held his phone up to his ear.

"Nils?" The girl answered, sounding confused. "Uh, do you need something?"

"Claud, thank God. I need your help. Just, please don't tell Kat? We're not exactly on speaking terms…"

"Ya, I know."

"Of course you do," Nils sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't have called."

"No, no, it's fine. What do you need?"

"It's just I have my first date today—"

"Ooooh, do tell!"

Nils chuckled. "Ya, I'm going on a picnic with her."

"A picnic? Really?" Claud teased.

"Okay, I do not need that. What was I supposed to do? It's not like I know her!"

"Fair point. Okay, what do you need?"

"The picnic…I don't know what to pack. What do girls like to eat?"

Claud laughed. "Nils, we're not a different species, we eat the same food."

"You know what I mean!"

"Ya, ya. You should probably bring a variety. Nothing too messy. Fruit, veggies, maybe some hummus. Bread. Cheese. Oh, and bring something sweet. Maybe some cookies? Or a crisp. A good apple or rhubarb crisp is always good."

"I don't have all day to bake, Claud."

"Right. Cookies then. There are always cookies in the kitchen."

"How do you know that?"

"I just do. Look in the cupboard under the main island."

"Thanks, Claud."

"Anytime, my dude. Okay, I've got to go. Have fun on your date!"

Nils smiled and hung up. Claud was great.

He put his phone back in his pocket and turned back to the kitchen. Fruit, veggies, hummus, bread, cheese, and cookies. And wine. Wine is always good. He found the cookies first, but everything else took a little longer.

Half an hour and about fifty rearrangements of the basket later, Nils sat back and pulled out his phone. It was 10:30; he had half an hour before he had to meet Joan. Just enough time to run back to his room and change. He took a deep breath, grabbed the basket, and slipped back out of the kitchen. He just hoped he wouldn't bump into any of his siblings on the way up to his room. Especially not Kat. He shook his head thinking about her. He had no idea what was going on between them. They argued all the time, sure, but it had been a long time since it was this bad. The last time they had gone this long without speaking was when he was still in high school. It didn't seem like it would end anytime soon, either. At least not if Kat had anything to say about it.

...o0o...

Joan looked over her outfit in the mirror again, running her hand over her skirt. She folded her arms across her chest, her fingers subconsciously tapping on her arm. Was it too formal? Not formal enough? What does one wear to a first date with the King of Illéa? Definitely not something you learn in school. She forced her arms apart, reaching up to brush her fingers through her short hair. It was black at the moment, and she actually really liked it. She had had so many colors over the years; it was a little weird to have a more natural one.

She shook her head and took one last look over herself in the mirror before turning back to her desk. She sat down at the chair and idly took a bite of a croissant. Her maids had brought up her breakfast this morning because she hadn't wanted to deal with all the questions from the other selected about her date. A date which was still an hour and a half away.

Joan looked over to her door as she heard the hall fill with chattering voices. The other girls must have been heading down for their lessons. A small part of Joan wanted to go with them. It had been so long since she had been on a date. She had never even had a real relationship, but now here she was, one of twenty five girls vying for one boy. It was so weird. And who's fault was it? No. She shouldn't go there. Not today.

Joan pushed herself up from her chair and pulled some of her hair into a bun. She grabbed her guitar from the corner of the room and sat down on her bed, tucking one leg under her. She looked down at her fingers on the fingerboard and began lightly plucking at the strings, not playing anything in particular. Her mind wondered, her fingers gently plucking out a random tune.

A couple hours later, Joan was pulled from her music by a gentil knock on her door. _Nils. _She had dismissed her maids for the day, so she stood up, guitar hanging on her shoulder, and walked over to get the door. She put her hand on the knob, took a deep breath, and opened it.

There was Nils, standing outside her door, holding a basket and looking a little nervous. He was dressed more casually than she had seen him before, just wearing a pair of jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt.

"Hey." He said, smiling at her.

"Hey." She answered. "So, uh, do you want to come in? Or, I guess we should go. We're not having a date in my room, right?"

Nils laughed. "Ya, not today. Thanks for the invitation though."

"Ya. Do, uh, do you mind if I bring my guitar? I assume we're going for a picnic." Joan gestured at the basket Nils was holding.

"Please! That would be great."

"Sweet."

"Right, follow me, I guess." Nils stepped aside and gestured down the hall.

Joan slung her guitar over her back and stepped out of her room They began walking down the hall in the direction of the gardens.

"So," She said, turning her head to look at Nils as they walked down the hall, "Where are we going? The gardens?"

Nils looked over at her and smiled. "Something like that."

"Something like that? I guess I'm just supposed to trust you?"

"Well, yes. This is a date, after all. What would a date be without a little bit of mystery?"

Joan smiled. "I like you, Nils."

"Glad to hear it. I wouldn't be doing my job if you didn't like me."

"Oh really?"

"That's my job isn't it? Wooing all of you. Getting you to fall for me. Love is the goal."

"Is it?" Joan looked away from Nils, back down at her feet.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"It just seems like it's more for the drama and entertainment. Are you really supposed to find love?"

"That's the hope. Whether or not it happens…we'll just have to see."

Joan didn't answer. She didn't know how. No, this was never her idea, but she did feel bad for him. Maybe he was just about excited about this whole thing as she was.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before they came to the double glass doors that led to the gardens. The two guards, standing at attention, pulled the doors open, letting Joan and Nils out into the gardens.

It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm. There were only a few scarce clouds, tufts of white on the blue background. A light breeze wafted through the gardens, keeping it from crossing the line between warm and hot.

The gardens were beautiful as well. Joan could see them from her room, but she had not yet explored them. She ran most mornings, but she usually ran around the extensive grounds, not the garden. There were flowers everywhere, of every color and variety. There were hedges too, in a maze, just like you would imagine of a palace. Joan had never seen anything like it.

"It's beautiful." She breathed.

"Ya," Nils smiled.

Joan looked over at him and smiled too.

"Here," Nils said, extending his free hand to her. "Follow me."

Joan took his hand, following him into the gardens.

They walked through the gardens, past flowers and bushes and vines and sculptures. It was like something out of a movie. Joan never imagined things like this actually existed. It was so magical. So beautiful. She couldn't believe she was there. Nils guided her through the flowers and fountains and bushes, all of it more beautiful than anything Joan had ever imagined.

Eventually, they stopped by a slightly less groomed patch of the garden. There were tall vines climbing trellises and smaller, busier plants along the ground, many with bright red berries.

"A vegetable garden!" Joan said, looking up at Nils.

"Yes. Here, sit."

Nils guided her over to a small patch of grass and sat down, gesturing for her to do the same.

"Okay," He said, pulling the picnic basket into his lap, "Here is what we have. Grapes, kiwi, apples, carrots, celery, hummus, various cheeses, some fresh bread, and…" Nils looked back into the basket and closed his eyes, a guilty smile growing on his face. "And no silverware or dishes. But! We do have wine. No glasses for the wine though…"

Joan laughed, really laughed. "Well, I guess there is a reason they made you King. Clearly you can't be trusted to do anything on your own."

"Hey! I did my best. I've never done this before!" Nils protested, throwing a grape at her.

"Oh! Food fights? Very kingly, I must say," Joan said, picking up her own grape to throw back at him.

"Well I'm not going to be able to do it any other time. Might as well make the most of the opportunity while I have it."

"You mean they don't let you have food fights with the other kings when they visit?"

"Just eat the grapes!" Nils smiled.

Joan smiled too, picking up the grapes off the grass.

Nils pulled the bread out of the basket and ripped off a piece before handing it to Joan. She took it and ripped off a piece for herself. She let out a hum of satisfaction after her first bite. It was the best bread she had ever tasted. Slightly sour, probably sourdough. Crisp and crunchy on the outside, but soft and warm on the inside. It was heavenly.

"Okay, you need to let me stay here forever. Not even as your One, just a friend. You can't give me food this good and expect me to be able to leave."

Nils laughed again. "It is good, isn't it?"

"Good doesn't begin to cover it. I feel like I'm in France." Joan lay back on the grass, running her hand along the prickly ends. The sky was so clear, such a perfect blue. It seemed as though nothing could ever muddle it. How could a single storm cloud cross such a perfect sky?

"So," Nils said, propping himself up on his elbow. "The guitar. Are you going to play something for me?"

"I suppose. Do you know The Beatles?" Joan sat up on the grass and reached for her guitar.

"Um, _obviously_. Who doesn't know The Beatles?"

Joan smiled, pulling on her guitar strap. "You never know. People are crazy these days."

She took a moment to tune the guitar before looking up at the sky and starting to play. She plucked out the melody for a moment before looking back down at Nils.

"_Words are flowing out_

_Like endless rain into a paper cup_"

Nils smiled, clearly he knew the song. Joan smiled back before looking down at the fingerboard.

"_They slither while they pass_

_They slip away across the universe_

_Pools of sorrow, waves of joy_

_Are drifting through my opened mind_

_Possessing and caressing me_"

After an hour of talking, eating, Joan singing beautifully, and Nils singing terribly, the pair found themselves lying on the grass. They weren't talking, just lying on the grass, watching the occasional cloud cross the sky, and enjoying each other's presence.

Nils shuffled on the grass, causing Joan to look over at him. He stood up and extended a hand to her.

"Come on," He said, "It's getting late, and there is something I want to show you."

Joan stood up and took his hand, but before she followed him, she looked back down at her guitar.

"You can leave it here. We'll come back this way."

"Okay."

Nils led her further into the gardens, through one of the mazes. When they came out, they were standing in front of a large, almost entirely glass building. It took Joan's breath away.

Nils slimed, and pulled her forward. There were no guards at the doors, so Nils opened them, stepping aside to let Joan in first.

The building was calm and seerene. There must have been a fountain somewhere, because the soft sound of moving water came from somewhere further into the room.. There were a few birds too, perched in the tall trees that lined the walls.

"Nils…" She breathed, "It's beautiful."

"I know," He said, coming to stand behind her. "It is one of my favorite spots. You are welcome to come here any time. To play or read or anything else."

"Really?"

"Of course."

The two walked through the greenhouse, which held much more exotic and tropical flowers than the rest of the garden. It was relaxing, listening to the sounds of water and the birds. They would stop every once in a while and look more closely at a flower. Nils even plucked a few to give to her.

After quite a while in the greenhouse, Joan and Nils made their way back to the palace. They stopped where they had eaten lunch to pick up the picnic basket and Joan's guitar. It had been a beautiful day, more fun than either of them had expected.

"Joan?" Nils said when they got back to her room.

"Yes?" She turned to face him.

"Thank you for today. I had a lot of fun. It was the best first date I ever could have imagined."

"I had fun too," Joan said, smiling.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Right, see you tomorrow." Joan slipped into her room. She gave Nils a little wave before closing the door, and turning to flop on her bed. She was smiling uncontrollably, giddy in a way she had not been in years. She knew it was bad. She knew the odds of her even getting a second date were next to nothing. Still, as she lay there on the bed, thinking about all the wonderful conversations they had had, she couldn't help but feel the butterflies.

**Another chapter! This is my last real week of classes, so I should have a lot more time to write soon!**


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